Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever
by vertigoSWAY
Summary: It's been 1000 years... or 2, depending on who you are. Found on the brink of death, a mysterious someone drops Jack off in the cemetery where he has to piece back his soul piece by piece. Janto. DW xover. UP
1. Prologue

He was hurt. He always hurt, but this was a different kind of hurt. This was an on-the-verge-of-death-and-welcoming-it kind of hurt. His senses didn't work. He couldn't hear, smell or taste anything. He was almost blind and dead when he saw a figure standing over him. _A man_, he thought. The man looked down at him sadly, but he couldn't really tell. He'd already drifted off too far to even decide anything for himself.

The next thing he knew was a faint sound of an unusual bell and his body shocking back to life. He sat up abruptly, taking in sharp breaths of air and surveying his surroundings. Trees, grass, slabs of stones –tombstones.

He was in a cemetery.

So… How exactly did he get here again?

He noticed that he held something. An envelope. He was pretty sure he didn't have that when he died. Inside was a key he'd lost at least nine hundred years ago. "All aboard if you still hurt," was scrawled on the envelope where the addressee should have been written.

Twine was still attached to the key with a black bit fused onto it. His good old key.

A cemetery was it? He was in a cemetery?

He hadn't noticed it before, but he'd been leaning on a tombstone. He could only guess whose.

Slowly turning his head, he saw the name etched carefully on the stone and an epitaph that followed. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stood up and took out a small laser. He added his own inscribing. After all, he owed it to _him_ after a millennium of running.

As he walked away, there, freshly carved into the stone, was, "My cariad, even after 1000 years."

* * *

**And so starts the reconstruction of his soul.**

**

* * *

**

**Likey? More to come, but probably slow...  
School's starting up again. Ugh-**

**Anyway, this is in the real Torchwood/DocWho universe. None of my AUs and all that.  
Stick around!  
**


	2. A Thousand Lives Have Made Me Colder

**I'm starting something new with my chapter titles. They'll be lyrics from songs I think reflect the Torchwood story and the chapters.**

**_full chapter title_: A THOUSAND LIVES HAVE MADE ME COLDER  
-from Here Without You by 3 Doors Down

* * *

**Gwen was dressed in black today, as were the rest of her colleagues. Today was a day where no one questioned each other's decisions. Today was a day of remembrance. The newly built Hub was extremely quiet, although it normally was as there were only three people who ever worked it on a normal day.

A call came in and Gwen answered it. It lasted only thirty seconds as Gwen said "thank you" and "you too." All three people knew who the woman on the other line was. She'd lost someone on this day as well.

The medic signed out for her routine job at the café and nodded to Gwen who just nodded back. The Welshwoman glanced at her technology associate who just glanced back with a small smile before returning to her own work. It must have been harder for her. She was actually there. Lived through the terror and was almost tried for treason. After all, some of Lois Habiba's own actions indirectly caused what had happened two years ago.

The Welshwoman glanced at her watch and looked at Lois again. "If you don't mind," she began softly, "if you could come with me to…"

There was no need to finish the sentence as Lois saved her worked and logged off. She grabbed her coat and followed Gwen out of the Hub. Even the underground headquarters was dark that afternoon.

In his memory, they would cry.

Two people had died that day: Ianto Jones…

And whatever humanity was left in Captain Jack Harkness.

* * *

Rather than Gwen finding the medic, the medic found _her_. She was only 16. A 16-year-old teenager wandering the streets until she found Torchwood. How she'd found out about the secret organization from her home in America was a complete mystery. Maybe it was from her "gift," but boy was she a smart cookie.

Only halfway to adulthood and already had an equivalent of a MD in America. Gwen didn't know much about her, just like she didn't know much about _him_. She knew that she was a runaway. She knew that her name was Elizabeth Huang, an American born Chinese, from Dallas, Texas. She knew that the girl preferred "Liz" and didn't like the title of "doctor." She knew that the girl had nowhere else to go. She also knew she had no family.

That's why she took her in.

Gwen thought about all the trouble she'd been through in the years that Jack had left her and Torchwood as she drove the new company SUV to the cemetery. She thought about her little boy that Rhys had suggested naming "Jack Ianto Williams." She thought about her decision to name Jack Harkness as her little boy's godson. She thought about Rhys's objections to her running Torchwood and thought about how Rhys knew it was only right, standing by her final decision. She also thought about Alice Carter and how, every once in a while, Gwen would visit her. She thought about Agent Johnson, who promised to lend a hand every so often when declining the invitation to join the new team.

Gwen thought about how Jack survived running Torchwood and decided she had to push on in his memory and in Ianto's.

She stopped in front of the gate and stepped out slowly and quietly, taking her sweet time. Lois waited for her and they entered the grassy field together. Ianto's tombstone stood out to Gwen who had stared at it for so long when they held the service. As she recalled those memories, a wave of tears flooded out of her and Lois comforted the Welshwoman as tears formed in her eyes as well.

Together, they summoned the courage to approach the slab of stone. What caught Gwen's eye first was the grass around the stone. It seemed pressed, like someone had been sitting –or lying- on the grass. After so many years of police work and then being recruited into Torchwood, noticing trivial things like that was a given. Letting her eyes be drawn onto tombstone, she gasped.

There, beside Ianto Jones's name was an inscription that had not been there before.

"My cariad, even after 1000 years," Gwen read shakily. "Lois…" she breathed.

The young Torchwood operative merely nodded her head. He was back, and they weren't going to let him go this time.

Captain Jack was back.

* * *

Another alien ship wouldn't float around the earth for another day or so. Jack was stuck here on his hellhole he called Earth. Although, truthfully speaking, it wasn't that bad. It was just the history on this planet he wanted to run away from. Walking into a café, Jack ordered the coffee and sat alone in the corner. He raised the cup up in a small toast and whispered inaudibly.

"To you, cariad, because we both know this coffee tastes like shit compared to yours."

He took a sip and immediately set it back down on the saucer. As another customer entered the café, he heard a girl screaming outside. "You better run!" she yelled. "And don't look back!" The girl than entered the store irritably, carrying what Jack deemed to be a guitar case.

"You're late," the waitress who'd served him told the girl. "I don't think he's going to be happy." The exchange seemed between friends and not mocking. Jack inferred that "he" must have been whoever was in charge around here.

"Yeah," the girl sighed. "Tell those punks that." Jack noted that the girl had an American accent, sort of like his with more of a Southern drawl.

"Not like he cares," the waitress laughed.

"Tell me about it. Today's just…" The girl paused to find the right words to say. "Not that good of a day for me and a couple of friends that's all."

Jack nodded to himself in understanding. Bad day plus one little thing that pisses you off and you could turn the whole world off of its axis. With that little connection to the girl's emotions, everything Jack wanted to forget came back to him in a wave of memories. Falling in love, naked hide and seek. Feeling betrayed. Feeling his breath, his touch… Feeling like this was never going to end. Losing him and knowing the world was over. Running away, leaving Gwen crying as she held on to Rhys. Seeing the Doctor in the distance trying to make it better with Alonso. But it didn't get better. Anyone who tried to comfort him while he was out across the stars… they just weren't _him_.

As the memories ran around in his head, he realized he must have been thinking really loudly.

A scream came from the waitress who'd just been conversing with guitar girl. "Help!" the waitress cried as the guitar case dropped with a clunk and the other girl fell to the ground. The waitress caught her fall as she cried out again. A few customers stood up to see what was wrong. Some of the men in the kitchens, washing plates and cups, also appeared along with a big man Jack presumed to be the manager.

Jack didn't know what came upon him, but he felt obligated to help the collapsed girl. Getting up, he went over to the scene and knelt down by the waitress and the girl. "Are you alright?" Jack asked, checking for vitals. There was a pulse and a rapid heartbeat. At least she was breathing.

"I'll call 999*," the waitress said, taking out her cell phone.

"No!" the girl lying on the floor objected. She made an effort to pull out her own mobile. "Speed dial three."

Reluctantly, the waitress, whose nametag read "Nelly," phoned whoever was on speed dial three.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end picked up.

"Hello… Um…" Nelly went off into the corner to talk on the phone while the rest of the people in the café watched on worriedly.

"You're going to be fine," Jack told the girl. "Anything hurt?"

"My… head," the girl choked out.

"Well no, but… She just collapsed…" Nelly could be heard describing what had just happened. "Yeah she's still breathing, but she _collapsed_! Shouldn't we get an ambulance?" Obviously, Nelly was denied the answer she wanted as she stamped her foot in frustration.

"You should go," the girl made an effort to say, "if you don't want to be found." Jack furrowed his brow. His mind was still screaming with his memories. "They'll be here soon."

_She must be delirious_, Jack thought. _She doesn't know what she's saying._ What Jack reasoned was perfectly plausible. The girl's forehead was sweaty and burning up. "Just focus on breathing," Jack told her. "Your friend's getting help over there. Everything's going to-"

Just then, the door opened as indicated by the small chiming of a bell. "Move out!" a woman's voice demanded.

Jack froze in midsentence.

He knew that voice. And that voice didn't sound happy, and would be even unhappier if she had to see him.

The crowd obediently parted and the first thing that caught the woman's eyes wasn't the fact that the girl on the floor was twitching. No, she'd seen that many times before. That wasn't it.

It was the army coat over on the figure crouched beside her, with his head turned away from him.

Slowly, Jack breathed in and turned his head around to meet the woman's eyes. Even slower, he stood up and waited for what would happen.

The woman slowly made her way over, as if she was afraid of him. As she did, her hand clenched into a well-formed fist; at the last second, it flew up and connected to Jack's jaw with a _crack!_

"What was that for, _Gwen_?!" Jack demanded angrily. There it was. The bad day plus the pissed off moment. His mind was immediately filled with anger, replacing his memories. The girl on the floor let out a huge breath of air and coughed loudly. She wiped the sweat from her brow as another woman, much younger and in her twenties, helped her up.

"I told you so," the girl muttered.

"What do you mean what was that for?" Gwen challenged. "You know very bloody well, _Captain_." He emphasized her name, so she did the same to his. Two could play that game.

"Well you don't look surprised to see me," Jack shot back.

"'My cariad, even after 1000 years,'" she quoted. "If today hadn't…" Gwen's breath caught. "If it hadn't, I would have missed you… again! What the hell were you thinking Harkness?!" Gwen shouted.

"So you rebuilt it and recruited _young_ people," Jack inferred venomously.

"Yes _Jack_," Gwen said back. "_Young_ people who _know_ the risks. It's not your fault." At this, her voice grew gentler. Gwen Cooper-Williams, always the heart of Torchwood.

"So you say," Jack mumbled.

"Come back Jack." The immortal raised his eyes to Gwen's. "Please Jack. We need you." She swallowed, consciously aware of the people staring at them and what she was about to say. "_Torchwood_ needs you."

* * *

*999 is the emergency # in the UK for Americans like me who had to look that up... xD

**Did you like?**


	3. The Heart is Not a Home Without the One

**Screw the fact that I hate the band who wrote the song. The lyrics were too appropriate to pass off.**

**_full chapter title_: THE HEART IS NOT A HOME WITHOUT THE ONE WHO GETS YOU THROUGH THE STORM  
-from Before the Storm by the Jonas Brothers

* * *

**Three things were wrong with this scene:

One, PC Andy Davidson stood at the doorway.

Two, a Weevil ran across the street.

And thirdly, there was no "Torchwood is real?" from the surrounding crowd.

But first things first, the Weevil. Jack simply watched as the new Torchwood team managed to catch it in less time than the old team. Then again, if Owen wasn't always so damn slow at times…

The male police constable turned out to just be here for a coffee on his break, but upon seeing the captain. "Holy shit…" he muttered and could have fainted right there.

Gwen came in with the Retcon and took care of the situation rather coolly. She then tossed some Advil to Andy. "For that killer headache Liz says you have," she said and then walked back to the SUV.

Jack followed her out. Liz… So that was the girl's name. _Must be short for something_, he thought to himself.

"It is," Liz replied. "Short for Elizabeth."

_Did she just read my mind?_

"Yes," came the reply.

Great. Gwen came across a mind reader. Who knew what else Liz could do?

"Jack…" Gwen started.

"What is Torchwood famous now?" he asked. "No, 'so you're real?'" The captain repeated the words that he'd heard Gwen's father say the day Torchwood crashed her wedding.

"After the… incident, word leaked a bit. OK, well a lot. People are pretty convinced it exists, but we still use the Retcon. Less trouble the better right?" She forced a half-smile.

"And the Hub?"

"Rebuilt. Same place by the docks."

"Paper archives, equipment?"

"Martha helped a bit, with her connections to UNIT. She's freelance now," Gwen informed. "And the archives… Well he never told us, but Ianto scanned them all and put them on the network."

"Every single one?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Jack smiled at the thought of when his dead lover ever got the time to do that. Then a thought crossed his mind. "What's the year?"

"2011," Lois replied.

Jack nodded. "Two years."

"1000 for you," Gwen stated blandly. "Did it work?"

Jack let out a laugh. It was sarcastic and mocking. "Work?" he repeated. "Hell no. I've officially tried everything in the book for suicide and even beyond that." Gwen held her hand to her mouth in shock and Jack realized he shouldn't have said that last bit.

"Will you come back?" she asked again.

"How can I?" Jack countered. "You think I can still step back in there and act _normal_?"

"Nothing's normal for you," Gwen pointed out. "It's just that… When Tosh and Owen died, Jack, I told you that I didn't think I could move on and what did you say?"

"The end is where we begin from," Jack said in unison with Gwen.

"Exactly," the Welshwoman finished, content that her point was made.

"This is different," Jack told her.

Gwen groaned in exasperation. "Different?" she echoed. "Different? How the hell do you think this is _different_ Jack? You think that _I_ don't feel guilty for not offering to switch places? You don't think that _I_ don't feel guilty for thinking that maybe I could have come up with a different plan? You don't _Lois_ feels guilty for giving us the videos? _Do _you Jack?" At that, the captain didn't have anything to respond to. "There's an office and a desk waiting for you Jack. And a box that you've always kept locked. If you want it, it's all yours. All of it. Torchwood. And a godson…" she added quietly.

Jack stared at her questioningly. "I had a boy," Gwen explained. "If anything happens to me-"

"Don't," Jack cut off. "Don't talk like that."

"But if something does," Gwen said. "Will you…?"

"We'll see…" he replied. "We'll see," and he followed them back to the Hub.

* * *

Despite the terrible, horrible, no-good very bad day that Captain Jack Harkness was having so far in the first 1000 years that he'd set foot on Earth, he had to say, the Hub was impressive. It looked like the original. "We got the plans from Ianto's scans," Gwen had informed him while they drove to the Hub. She had grimaced at the unintentional rhyme.

The cog wheel door opened. Even the interior layout was the same. The computers in the same positions as he'd remembered them. Then again, his memory was hazy. Gwen gestured to the glass windows in front of her and at the office. "Go on," she urged and he began to explore.

The office was rather empty save for a coat hanger, desk, two chairs and that box. Everything else had been destroyed when he'd blown up.

That box… holding all of his memories. He didn't want it, but at the same time he did. Gwen closed the door behind them pulled up a chair while Jack tested out how it felt to sit behind a desk again.

"I know the desk's not the same but…" Gwen trailed off. "Do you want to talk?" she asked. "I bet you have more questions than I do."

"Yeah," Jack thought out loud, resting his hands on the wooden desk. "Like that Liz girl."

"Her name's Elizabeth Huang, 16. Dallas, Texas, America."

"Thought I heard that drawl."

"She came to me actually. Part of her whole mind reading thing."

"Oh yeah?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"She's got no family either. She said her parents died two years ago, along with her sister. Car accident." Jack nodded and Gwen continued. "She works at the café as a singer when she has the time since she refuses the full pay I give her."

Jack nodded again. "Running well, I hope?"

"Getting by," Gwen sighed. "Lois came to me after you left. Said she'd moved here and that the government had wiped her record clean. We talked about, you know, and decided we should rebuild."

"The Three Musketeers," Jack joked.

"Watch it!" Gwen said warningly, a smile erupting on her face.

The fell into an awkward silence before Gwen went on. "I visit her sometimes," Gwen said, not making it clear who "her" was. "She's… coping. Doesn't really talk about it much. She called earlier and the conversation lasted only thirty seconds. She's seeing someone too. Says she just wants to forget about it."

"Who?" Jack asked, the question immediately dying on his lips. Gwen just studied the wood patterns on the desk, knowing that her former boss realized who she was talking about. "How is she? Is she happy with him?"

"I think so," Gwen said. "They're engaged actually." Jack raised his eyebrows.

"When's the wedding?"

"Six months. Will you be there?"

"I doubt it, even if she wants me there."

"You have to give her away at least," Gwen said. "That's what a normal father would do."

"You said it yourself, nothing's normal for me." Gwen just laughed. "What?" Jack demanded.

"You didn't even ask what his name was!"

"Well then, what's his name?"

"John Smith."

Jack's mouth dropped open. Of the names it could be. _John Smith_. "What does he look like?"

"Blonde, tall, dimples. Squinty eyes though."

"Nobody's perfect," Jack sighed but added mentally, _except him._

"How have you been?" Gwen asked. Jack didn't want to answer that particular question. Besides, hadn't it been his job to ask questions in this conversation? Since when did the tables turn?

"Getting by…"

"But… suicide?" The last word was barely a whisper.

"That doesn't matter. It's not like I can die anyway."

"But Jack-"

"Just drop it!" he snapped and immediately regretted as Gwen flinched in surprise.

"Why?" she whispered, desperate to know what drove the captain to such extreme measures.

Jack looked up with those age-old eyes of his and dared Gwen not to look away. "Because," he began, "because every time I die, every time I sink into nothingness, I think I feel him. I think I feel him touch me, waiting for me in death. And that's all I want. But then, when I wake up, I know he's not there and I know that it's not what he wants." Jack's voice seemed strangled. "I know that he doesn't want me to pull the trigger every time that I can't take it anymore. I know that and it kills me Gwen. Every day, for the past 1000 years I've just been walking around aimlessly with no purpose. I'm losing my sanity and it's killing me."

Jack erupted into bone-shaking sobs and tears, something Gwen never thought she'd see. She didn't know what it felt like, and she didn't want to. But she knew in that way, she couldn't be of help. All she could do as the once unbreakable captain cried his heart out was hold him and try the best she could to provide any comfort.

They say "home is where the heart is." Gwen was the heart of Torchwood, but Jack was the soul and Ianto had been his spirit. The heart couldn't function without the soul and the soul was broken without its spirit.

All Gwen could be now was that sense of warmth and security.

Without Ianto, it could only be "home is where the _hearth_ is."

* * *

**I almost bawled my eyes out writing Jack's ending monologue right there if it weren't for the fact that my mom and sister were home and I_ was_ supposed to be doing homework.**


	4. And the Clothes You Left, They Lie on

**_full chapter title_: AND THE CLOTHES YOU LEFT, THEY LIE ON THE FLOR  
-from When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne  


* * *

**

Gwen tried her best no to cry with the captain. She had already sobbed earlier, for herself. Cry again, she could not. Not in this situation. There was only one thing that Gwen could think of that would make Jack feel better… or considerably worse.

She shouted out with her mind and Liz trampled over untidy trash bins to the door. Gwen thought out her command clearly and then nodded. Liz mouthed "OK" in return and disappeared back to her workstation.

Minutes later, the cog door wheeled open again and Rhys came blundering in, leading a little toddler by the hands. Jack wiped away his tears at the sound of childish laughter. Lois was kneeling down next to the young boy and playing with him.

"We named him after you," Gwen told him, still holding him as if we would finally break. "And Ianto. Jack Ianto Williams. He's your godson if you're willing."

Rhys led his son into Jack's rebuilt office. "Liz told me about you on the mobile yeah?" he Welshman smiled. "Glad you're back mate." If Rhys Williams noticed the wetness of Jack's face and the redness of Jack's eyes, he didn't say anything. And he was smart not to.

"Go on," Rhys pushed. "Go meet your godfather." The father gave his son a playful pat and let the toddler wobble up to the immortal Jack.

The toddler took somewhat unsteady steps that reminded Jack of how Steven took his first steps. He pushed the unwanted thought out of his mind. This was Gwen and Rhys's moment. It was his godson's moment. He wasn't about to let himself spoil it.

Jack held out his arms and let the toddler fall into them. He lifted the two year old onto his lap and smiled his cheeky smile. The little boy didn't notice but Gwen realized that the grin was fake. It was tainted, spoiled, killed. It was a mask. Something he just put on in order to satisfy the need of the moment.

Come nightfall, Rhys took his son home while Gwen insisted on staying with Jack. The captain had kindly declined. Truthfully, the woman was afraid she'd leave again and Jack knew that. After minutes of assuring he'd stay at least one more day and that he knew a place where he could spend the night, Gwen left for her flat.

By now, the Hub was quiet and empty.

Damp.

Dark.

Detested.

Just like it was for Jack before he let himself get hurt again.

Sighing, the captain headed out of the underground headquarters and walked. He walked until his feet were sore, until he could feel the blisters on his toe. A small drizzle had started to fall. As he walked though, he could a spot a flashy red car following him obviously. Usually, that wasn't a good sign, but what had Jack to lose now? He stopped and waited for the car to pull up next to him. The window rolled down and he saw the brown eyes and black hair of a sixteen year old girl.

"You idiot, thinking you can walk all the way. Get in. I'll drive you."

* * *

Jack's hand stopped short at the doorknob. Key. He needed a key. But did he still have it? After all, he'd lost the TARDIS key the Doctor had given him. Digging around in his pockets, he felt the sharp metallic object he was looking for and surprised himself. After all this, that piece of metal was still with him.

Inserting it into the keyhole and turning the doorknob, Jack stepped in and took a shuddering breath. God, it smelled so much like _him._

Liz came in and wiped the rain droplets off of her brow and carefully set a pizza box down in the table. "Just in case you wanted to eat," she said and started to head out the door.

"So, born on top of the rift," Jack stated.

The girl turned around. "Something like that."

"What else can you do but read my mind?"

"Basic telepathy stuff. I get little flashes at random of a history of an image, object or a name whenever I see or hear it. And for the record, I didn't read your mind. You just thought too loudly and you're emotions were too… emotional. For example, right now I'd have to dig deep into the recesses of your mind to find what you're thinking. You just being you makes you hard to read. Everyone else on the other hand…"

"And what am I?" Jack asked. He didn't bother to take off his RAF coat. He just stood there, taking in the scent. He was interested in what this girl had to say. She seemed smart enough.

"A fact," Liz replied. "Fixed point in time and space. Which is why you can't die." _And it's killing you_, she added silently.

"I take it Gwen only told you the last part."

"It wasn't hard to figure out the whole picture."

"So what else can you tell me about me that you're not supposed to know?"

"I know that there's a ship passing through Earth's orbit the day after tomorrow and I know that you're planning on getting the hell out of here before you're too attached and I know that I've only got tomorrow to convince you to stay." She fished out an ID card from her jacket pocket and flung it at the captain who caught it at the last second.

"Membership card to a country club," she explained. "We're infiltrating tomorrow. You know, the usual unexplained, alien-linked disappearances tracing to this one point. Come with us, then decide if you want to stay or not. No one's going to hold it against you."

Jack studied the card and without looking up, he said, "You know I've already decided that I'm leaving."

"No you're haven't," Liz replied.

The immortal looked up. "I wasn't thinking loud."

"No, but your body language gave it away and it's what I know about you and what I read at the café that gives you away. You think you should leave because you don't want the reminders of your past, but you know you shouldn't because you're still needed here. And somewhere, in the bottom of your heart, what's left of Jack Harkness one thousand years ago is starting to sneak up and you're scared."

"You wouldn't understand," Jack said, turning his back and walking to the window. Outside, the rain was starting to fall steadily.

"No?" Liz raised her eyebrows and walked over to him. "My family died in a car accident. I was in it. I should have been dead, but all I got were a few broken bones and a fractured leg. The doctors all said I was lucky to be alive. What kind of bull was that? I don't have anyone either Jack. I know you've heard this millions of times, but _it's not your fault_."

Silence.

Noting that the conversation was going nowhere, Liz started to pull out her medical knowledge. "There're five stages of grief," she started. "Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I reckon that you've been stuck on the depression for a long time. Do you know what I think?" Liz inquired.

"What?" Jack's reply was terse and stiff.

"I think you're already dead." The ex-Torchwood Three leader turned to her in question. "I think you died 1000 years ago, or two years ago. Whatever humanity was left in you disappeared. I think that why he's there in the dark is because he wants you to piece yourself back together. He wants you to fight in his memory. He was, and still is, the only thing that is going to keep you going. Don't just throw it all away because you can't figure anything out for yourself anymore."

Jack could tell that the girl was making an effort not to say the name that was burning in his mind. She left quietly and Jack stared at the card, flinging it angrily across the room. His jacket fell off of his shoulders and onto the carpet as he made his way into the bedroom and its familiar bed.

The bed he'd stayed warm in so many years ago. In fact, the clothes were still left on the floor from the last time that Jack had ever "dabbled." The captain just left the clothes laying there and let himself sink into the bed, suffocating himself in that nostalgic scent and losing himself to a cold, lonely sleep.

* * *

**Whew! -wipes brow- Almost halfway with this arc!  
For those who are wondering, there will be three arcs and for MAJOR Torchwood fanatics, you'll like my second arc very much [I hope/think]. *winkwink***


	5. Everybody's Saying He's Not Coming Home

**_full chapter title_: EVERYBODY'S SAYING, "HE'S NOT COMING HOME NOW"  
-from Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood**

**I'll be uploading two, because I've been neglecting all my readers. Sorry! I was too caught up in finishing this arc, which from now on will be called "Temporary Home."  
So I finished and yeah... Enjoy!**

**Just an FYI, if you cry at the end, it's alright. I could barely finish typing it because of all the tears.  
**

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* * *

**

Gwen tucked her son into bed and slumped down on the couch in the kitchen. Rhys had fallen asleep right away, as he had on many days. It was a side effect of caring for the kid while Gwen was away, losing herself slowly to a decomposing Torchwood.

The only light in the small living room of their flat was from the moonlight shining through the window. She eyed the coffee maker in the corner of the kitchen, unplugged. She never used after September of 2009. She practically gave up on drinking coffee after that day.

Gwen pulled out her mobile to check the time. 10:30 PM the phone clock read. She pressed the green call button on the phone and the call history page pulled up. Scrolling down, she dialed the number that had been coming in quite often. Gwen reached the voicemail and left a brief message. Sighing, she then called the most recent number that had come in.

It took a while for the call to connect and for the other person to pick up. "Hello?" came the voice at the end of the line.

"Hi," Gwen said softly, in fear of waking up her family. "It's me." There was no sound from the other end. "Fine, I hope?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm alright, I guess. Have to go. Bye."

"Wait," Gwen called out a little too loudly.

A sigh could be heard. "What is it?"

"I think you should know…" Gwen trailed off. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to the response to the revelation she was about to give. "Jack came back today."

The other end went dead silent. "Alice?" Gwen ventured. "Alice, are you still there?"

"He…"

Gwen nodded, knowing that the woman would see.

"How?" came the question.

"I'm not sure," Gwen agreed. "I would have missed him today if it weren't for the fact that…" Gwen let the explanation hang in the air. "But it's been 1000 years for him. 1000 years of wandering and suicide and insanity. We talked a bit today. He could barely get through explaining what he'd been doing before he started to cry. He _cried_, Alice. Bone-shaking, terrible sobs. It was horrible. It felt like the world was going to end right there."

There was a brief silence before Alice asked, "Why are you telling this to me?"

"You deserve to know, after all that's happened."

Alice took a breath. "Okay. Well, goodbye."

"Bye," Gwen said and switched off her mobile.

Alice hung up the phone, noting the single tear that ran down her cheek. Why was she crying? She'd disowned her father two years ago. This wasn't supposed to bothering her… or was it the fact that even after one millennia for her dad, he still couldn't let go?

"Alice, are you alright sweetheart?" her fiancée asked. He'd gotten up after noting that she wasn't in bed.

"I'm fine," she assured, wiping away the tear and turning around.

"Who was that?"

"A friend… She knew my father."

"Is this about his death? I'm sorry…"

"No. It's nothing. My father died two years ago. I'm over that now. I'm fine, really."

Alice wished on the stars and planets out there that she truly was.

* * *

When he meant suffocating, he really meant suffocating. He snuffed out all the oxygen and breathed in the pillow. With no oxygen left in his bloodstream, Jack went unconscious. And as he insisted on killing himself again, he eventually drifted off into darkness.

It wouldn't last long this time. Suffocation always called for a short time in death.

In death, you didn't have a body, you had a consciousness. You feel like you have a body, but it's not really there. Jack felt the warmth increase around him as he let out a sigh. Why did death feel good this time?

Because it didn't.

He just wanted to make himself think that way.

But that presence was there again. The sweet embrace, the kiss on his brow. And this time, three words, "top left drawer." The first time that Ianto ever talked in death.

"Ianto?" Jack's consciousness called out. "Ianto? Ianto" If you could cry in death, then Jack was going in again. "Ianto!"

With a sharp pain, Jack was dragged back to life. He lifted his face from the pillow as the air rushed to his lungs again, filling them with oxygen. Top left drawer? Jack glanced across the room at the dresser and quickly opened the drawer that he'd been looking for. Clothes were folded and placed in neatly.

Not wanting to disturb the memory, Jack slowly removed the clothes and carefully set them on top of the dresser. The removed clothes revealed a small golden box. Gingerly, Jack took the box out as well and opened it. Inside was a journal and stopwatch, along with a letter.

_Dear Jack,_

_ I know this was kind of Tosh's thing, but that day as the three of us watched her video, I realized something that I had been trying to run away from. If you're reading this, then that only means that I'm dead. Either that or you're looking through my dresser and I hope this embarrasses you very, very much. Then again, you might break into tears and hold me tight, give me a kiss and we'll fall asleep locked in a tight embrace and right before you let sleep claim you, I'll tell you that I love you._

_ I love you Jack. I love you so damn much._

_ And if the reason you're reading this is because I'm dead, then I would have told you that I love you. I promise, that if you're with me when I die, those will be my final words. And if you can't say it back, then I understand. I'll understand that it's not because you don't love me, it's that you're too afraid to get hurt again._

_ It's alright Jack. Really. It is. You've shown me so much. You've comforted me on so many nights. Sometimes I ask myself if I even deserve you after all the deceit and betrayal I put you through. But when you're lying next to me at night, I know that doesn't matter, because I know I taught you to love again. I would think that for a long time, you've never had anyone to spend Christmas or New Year's with. I would think that for a long time, you just shut yourself to the rest of the world because if you were afraid._

_ And if I'm hurting you Jack, then I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But just know, for whatever reason I die for, if it's old age or the more reasonable Torchwood-style death, then Jack... It was worth it. For you. For finding a reason to live after Lisa died. For finding someone to love again._

_ Truth be told, I don't know how I can feel calm writing this. Writing about what happens if I die- when I die. It scares me to know that you claim there's nothing on the other side. Just darkness… But maybe that's because you haven't been there all the way yet._

_ I promised forever to you a long time ago and we both knew what that meant. You can have my forever, but I can't have yours._

_ But Jack. There's not just darkness in death; I don't think. I think it's a whole other world. One day Jack, we'll be together again. One day, you're going to find me again. That'll be the day when you die, and I know you will Jack. Because you always come back to me. Always. We'll have our forever then. But until that day, please don't kill yourself over me, and I mean it literally._

_ I want you to move on. Love someone else; I don't care. Just as long as you're happy, because if I have to think of what you'll do when I die, I'll start crying right here and right now and you'll come out of the shower and ask what's wrong._

_ And if you ask, then I'll break into tears and I can never do that. Because you're the soul, Jack, and I'm your spirit. If I break, then you break and maybe the whole world ends right there._

_ So I entrust you with my journal and stopwatch. A lot of memories of that stopwatch yes?_

_ You're the most loving man I'll ever know. The only one I'll even fall in love with over and over again. I love you Jack, don't forget that. I love you so much and I know you love me too, even if you don't say it._

_Goodbye doesn't mean forever.  
Love, Yan._

Jack nearly bawled his eyes out reading the letter. The paper was practically soaked in his tears. It must have taken him at least an hour to finish reading it all because every time he ended a paragraph, his eyes would be so misty that he couldn't make out the beautiful penmanship. Holding to stopwatch to his lips, Jack kissed it and folded the letter, pocketing it on the inside of his RAF coat. The journal would have to wait. It would probably take him a week to get through it all… Maybe even longer.

Jack fell down on the bed again, clutching all he had left of the man he loved. Holding the journal dearly to his heart and swallowed his lump in his throat. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he whispered shakily. "I love you so damn much Ianto Jones."

* * *

**And so yes, Alice is leading her fiancee to believe that her father died and he's nothing out of the ordinary.**

**All questions regarding Jack and Torchwood Co. will be answered in the next arc.  
**


	6. Windows & Rooms that I'm Passing Through

**_full chapter title_: WINDOWS AND ROOMS THAT I'M PASSING THROUGH  
-from Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood  


* * *

**

It was nearly five o'clock in the evening. The Cardiff sunset was blood red mixed with hues of orange. It was just brilliant, great for a country club… if only Liz would get a move on.

"Hurry up!" Gwen shouted, already giving up the fact Jack was going to stay. He hadn't shown for the entire morning or afternoon. What made her think that he would come in the evening?

"Wait!" came the girl's reply for the twenty-seventh time and yes, Gwen really did count. Liz tumbled down the stairs with a guitar case in hand. Her other hand tried to conceal the gun she would be carrying, making it blend into her clothes. Seeing that she needed both hands to successfully complete the task, she set down the case and took her sweet time.

"Liz!" Gwen cried.

"Okay, okay!" the teenager cried back and picked up the guitar case again. She looked anxiously at the cog door. Sighing, she pressed the button for it to roll open.

A figure stood in the doorway. "Looks like I have perfect timing," Liz smiled.

The man in the RAF coat held up the ID card between his right index and middle finger. "One night," he told them. "You have one night to prove to me that it's worth staying."

* * *

The country club was really, actually out in the country. Peaceful, grassy, fresh air. Owen would have absolute _loathed_ it, despite the 5-star hotel quality of the club. Upon arrival they were greeted by valet parking. They had driven in two separate cars to avoid suspicion. Jack and Gwen went together, acting as a couple, while Lois and Liz went as two friends trying to have a fun night.

Infiltrating was not a problem at all. Once in the club, they secured their comms and went over the plan again. Apparently, there had been many missing person reports recently. All of the people had one thing in common: they were all members of this particular country club and they were all last seen here. Some were even reported missing at this exact location.

They divided the place into four sectors with each person covering on sector. Procedures were reviewed and in no time, all four blended in. In truth, Jack missed this kind of work. The mystery, adrenaline, thrill. It was all exhilarating, but that had been before, when he had someone to lean on.

Lois made her way to the sports area, noting nothing suspicious. She stuck around, fake-flirted with a couple of the college students and laughed, all the while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Gwen was in charge of the poolside and golf course. Open field usually meant little activity because of the lack of places to hide, but if this was a Torchwood case then regular rules didn't apply. Liz had taken the portion of the club that was for teens, as she obviously blended in the best. In truth, she'd gotten in by getting hired for a night at the place. That was the only reason that she could secure the membership badges. She made them herself after downloading the security files. Jack was in the bar next door, seemingly bored.

He tried to tune out the sounds of the laughter and liveliness of the club, only focusing on scanning the area, looking for anything suspicious. Try as he might to tune out everything, he couldn't help but hear the melodies coming from the adjacent rooms.

Teenagers who could afford memberships and the pricey drinks at this country clubs were often here only to loosen up from their tight formal lives. They screamed wildly to the partially upbeat music and danced slowly to the soft tones of other songs.

Jack's ears caught snippets of lyrics in the noise: _little boy, six years old. A little too used to being alone… When people ask him how he likes this place, he looks up and says with a smile on his face… Looking for a job, looking for a way out… halfway house will never be a home. A night… whispers to her baby girl. "Someday we'll find a place here in this world…"_

_Old man, hospital bed. The room is filled with people he loves and he whispers, "Don't cry for me. I'll see you all someday." He looks up and says, "I can see God's face."_

_This is my temporary home. It's not where I belong. Windows and rooms that I'm passing through. And this is just a stop, to the place where I'm going. I'm not afraid because I know. This is my temporary home…_

Jack was too absorbed in the music to notice Gwen whispering to him on his comms. "Jack! Jack!" Gwen's voice hissed through his earpiece.

"Oh. Yeah?" Jack replied, startled. He made sure not to alert anyone else's attention. Pretty hard, considering that he was wearing a WWII army coat.

"Anything Jack?"

That was when the man realized something was inching down his leg. He looked down and saw the slight tear in his pants. Upon further inspection, he noticed the cut and blood trickling down. "Someone or some_thing_'s cut my leg." Jack glanced around and spotted a figure running for his (its?) life. "Hey! You!" he shouted, just like the old days. "Gwen. He's headed your way. Or it…" Jack opened comms on all frequencies and let the others hear.

Liz instantly set her guitar down and bounded off the stage, falling into a steady sprint next to Jack. "The cut is infected," she informed him. "Poisoned most likely. You've got a good ten minutes if you're lucky."

"Yeah thanks for telling me," Jack muttered sarcastically. "How'd you know anyway?"

"It's turning a very ugly shade of purple."

"Wonderful."

It wasn't long before everyone reached the open golf course. Gwen was standing there clueless.

"Where is it?" Lois asked breathlessly.

"Just my question," Gwen said back. She looked around. "No one ran by."

"It's got a perception filter," Liz realized. "Jack only saw it because of his cut. He was looking for whoever did it and by chance broke the filter." Liz's eyes widened. "Gwen move!" She shouted, before shooting straight at her. Gwen had the reflexes to fall out of the way just as the bullet thumped against something. The figure rippled into view as it fell backwards.

"You killed it?" Jack exclaimed incredulously.

"No. It's a tranq bullet. It's just passed out."

"It's a Graske…" Lois stated distastefully.

"Hate those guys," Gwen agreed.

"Yeah but…" Suddenly Liz was at a loss for words as she was grabbed from behind. Her words were muffled. Lois and Gwen didn't even have the time to react before they too were held at knife point. Jack turned around.

"What…" he trailed off. There were more. There always had to be bloody more. Drawing his own revolver that had miraculously survived the centuries, he demanded, "Let them go." Like that was ever going to work. Negotiations always ended drove the situation to a dead end. Still, it would make of a more interesting field mission. Self-esteem boost.

One of the Graske –the one who'd been shot- was lying on the ground. Three others held knives to the Torchwood agent's throats and seemed to be floating in midair. Their normal height couldn't possibly be that high. No… They were teleporting to the same place over and over again.

"Let them go," the captain repeated.

"We refuse," the middle Graske replied. He was holding Gwen.

Liz stared at Jack intently, forcing the question into his mind. "What is your business here? Where are the people?"

"People?" the middle Graske asked again. "They're all here."

"The ones you've abducted."

"Here," the alien insisted. People all around them had started to stare at the spectacle. Some had even screamed when Liz had fired that shot. The unnerving thing was the color of their eyes. An eerie, luminescent green.

Jack knew right away. He'd read too many files, been through too many incidents with these species. "There just more of you. Now tell me before I pull the trigger. Where are they?" He enunciated each word carefully.

"Patience." Jack winced at the pain starting to spread up his right leg. "Hurting now are we?" the Graske laughed. "The poison works quickly. Give us what you want before it's too late. We have the antidote."

"I can die anyway," Jack hissed.

"Then you'll friends will die." The alien pressed the knife even closer to Gwen's throat. She gave a small whimper, her eyes pleading with Jack.

"What do you want?"

"That fancy little strap on your wrist over there. We've heard of Torchwood sir. We've heard of their leader and we jumped through time, finding the connection. That strap of your is wonderful. It would boost our technology! All the places we can go! All the havoc!"

"It's broken," Jack replied flatly. Liz rolled her eyes at him and pushed another thought into his head.

_You can reverse their time feed and send them back to wherever they came from through your wrist strap and lock them out… for the time being. I'll create the distraction, or they'll notice and we all die._

Jack's eyes flickered for a bit before regaining his composure and hearing Liz say, "You know… Ealing is a nice place. 13 Bannenman Road. Sarah Jane…"

The Graske holding her roared in anger and loosened his grip but just a bit. "How dare you say her-"

The alien never finished as Liz punched it and quickly disabled the other aliens. "Jack!" she called.

"Working on it!" He already felt the poison seep into his heart as his vision blurred. His fingers worked slowly on his vortex manipulator. When he finally pressed the last button, he saw nothing but a flurry of blackness and felt the arms of Gwen catch his fall.

* * *

**The song Liz sang is the chapter title song. Also, she knew about Sarah Jane through her mind reading skills.**

**I'm not particularly proud of this chapter. Not enough action or good flow-iness.  
**


	7. On Your Knees You Look Up, Decide You've

**_full chapter title_: ****ON YOUR KNEES YOU LOOK UP, DECIDE YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH**  
**-from Stand by Rascal Flatts**

Here's the chorus where the title came from because I think it suits the chapter/arc very well:**  
**

**'Cause when push comes to shove,  
You taste what you're made of.  
You might bend 'til you break,  
'Cause it's all you can take.  
_On your knees you look up,  
Decide you've had enough._  
You get mad.  
You get strong.  
Wipe your hands.  
Shake it off.  
Then you stand.

* * *

**

Jack felt the darkness. Felt the pain. Felt the void. The nothingness and then his breath caught. He felt love and didn't want to let go. He felt the arms of comfort around him and sank into the feeling. "I'm proud of you," Ianto whispered to him in death. Jack could swear that he felt the hot breath tickle his lifeless mind.

_I died_, Jack thought.

"But not because you killed yourself."

"I love you," Jack forced out. He felt the grip around him tighten.

"I know. I've always known."

"How do I move on?" Jack pleaded, his voice on the verge of tears.

"Like you always do. Being strong for all of us. For Torchwood."

"I don't think I can."

"Of course you can. There are others out there who need you to be strong for them. Gwen, Lois… Liz. My sister and her family. Clueless people victim of the Rift. Who will be there for them?"

"Who's there for me?"

"Everyone," Ianto replied. "Everyone and me. I'll always be waiting here for you. Always and forever."

Jack felt lips brush his "invisible" lips as he woke up gasping in the SUV. Gwen was driving with Lois in the passenger seat. Liz sat in the back and to his left. She looked up, her eyes asking _are you alright?_

Jack looked ahead at the road. The country stretched for miles until he finally saw a city highway. "Yeah," he whispered. "I'm not leaving. Never."

And that was promise…

… He hoped.

* * *

Martha and Mickey had heard the word about Jack's reappearance from a late night phone call from Gwen one night back. They were up in Glasgow, caught up with an incident with the Slitheen. That family sure knew how to create trouble repeatedly. What was it with them?

Right as Jack stepped through the cog door, Martha tackled him with a hug and tears. "Oh Jack…" she cried. Pulling back, she studied the immortal man. Her eyes betrayed the emotions she couldn't put into words. Mickey shook hands with Jack and some greetings were made before Jack retreated to the office. No one dared to follow or ask why. The man needed his peace now. They didn't even inquire where he was going as he stepped out with the SUV keys in his hands.

* * *

The captain parked the SUV one street away. He kept walking up and down and up and down the row of houses that he'd never really visited. At one point he'd convinced himself this was wasting his time and almost turned around when the door on one of the houses opened. "Are you alright sir?" a woman's voice asked. She had the native Welsh accent.

Jack looked across the street at the woman. Her eyes held a striking resemblance to _him_. "Hello…" Jack greeted. He crossed the street, finally summoning up the courage to introduce himself as he stuck out his hand. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Rhiannon Davies, but… oh…" Rhiannon gasped. "You already knew that didn't you? You're… Gwen wasn't kidding when she called last night!" Her eyes widened just a fraction of a centimeter.

"Rhi, hurry up and close the door will ya?" her husband called from inside the house. "It's a little chilly. Mica's gonna catch a cold." When Rhiannon didn't respond, Johnny sighed and went to the front door. He was a little pissed with the whole anniversary of… Never mind.

"Is there something you need?" Johnny began a bit rudely, "Because if not, my family is trying to spend the rest of our day in mourning so just buzz off!"

"Mourning, huh?" Jack laughed lightly. "Guess that makes one more of us."

Rhiannon snapped out of her daze and shook her head slightly. "Johnny, this is, um, Captain Harkness."

"Jack's fine," the captain replied, passing off the chance to say something flirtatious.

"Jack?" Johnny asked, tasting the name as if he'd heard it before. He cursed himself rapidly and quietly in Welsh before giving an apologizing stutter. "I'm… I'm sorry mate. I d- didn't realize. I…"

"It's alright." Jack forced out a small, flimsy smile.

"Did you love him?" Rhiannon asked out of the blue.

Jack took a deep breath and let his mind clear. Then he looked down at Ianto's sister's eyes and nodded. "With all my life."

And for an immortal man like Jack, that meant a lot.

* * *

It was a long and tiring drive to London, but somehow, Jack made it. He had set off at around 10 at night, after spending most of the time with Ianto's family. Every so often Jack would almost swerve off the road but every so often, at the last second, Jack caught himself and set a straight course again.

It was nearly midnight when Jack arrived at the dreaded, detested building. He hated it. He hated it with a passion.

Jack also knew walking though those doors would be like signing his death certificate… if he could actually stay dead.

Taking in a deep breath, the immortal braced himself and pushed through the doors, ignoring security and walking right up the steps, despite protests and security guards ganging up on him. By some superhuman strength, Jack managed to subdue them all while keeping a poker face.

He stood on the top of the stairs, right across from the elevator, just waiting there. Ignoring the stares. Ignoring the whispers. Ignoring the policemen trying to cuff him up. Obviously they didn't know who Jack was; otherwise he'd be dead by now.

The elevator door slid open and a woman with an old man –white haired, wrinkles and bald- stepped out. They stopped right as they stepped out of the lift, a sign instantly telling the police to back off. Bridget Spears and Mr. Dekker. They stared emotionlessly at the immortal captain. Jack simply stared back.

After what seemed like years, Jack pulled out a slip of paper and let it flutter to the ground. Without a word at all, he turned and left. This time for good out of this forsaken place.

Spears bent to pick up the note. _Don't say you're sorry because you're not._

And that was that of Captain Jack Harkness vs. Great Britain.

* * *

**One more chapter for this arc, titled Temporary Home. Still thinking of a good title for the next arc though...**


	8. What You've Been Out There Searching For

**_full chapter title_: WHAT YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE SEARCHING FOR FOREVER IS IN YOUR HANDS**  
**-from So Small by Carrie Underwood  
**

Here are excerpts of the song that I think fit the storyline... Although I think the ENTIRE song fits!:**  
**

**I know it's hard on a rainy day.  
You wanna shut the world out,  
And**** just be left alone,  
But don't run out on your faith.**

**'Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand.  
And _what you've been out there searching for forever is in your hands.  
_And when you figure out love is all that matters after all, it sure makes everything else seem so small...**

**While you're sitting around thinking 'bout what you can't change,  
And worrying about all the wrong things:  
Time's flying by, moving so fast.  
You better make it count 'cause you can't get it back.**

* * *

Dinner parties with future in-laws were never fun. It was always the awkward, "What did you study in college? What do you work in? Where were you born?" type of stuff. Sometimes, if you were extremely unfortunate, the conversation would drift off to something that required to share a part of your childhood.

Childhood? Alice didn't have much of one. She didn't even have her real name. After her second birthday, she became Alice. There was no Melissa after that. Just Alice. Alice Carter nee Sangster. The shy girl. The outcast. The freak. The innocent and guilty.

Dinner parties weren't fun, especially if you stayed talking until after midnight. Alice came in through the back laughing with John. She set down her purse on the kitchen counter and flipped on the lights to get a glass of water. Through the flimsy curtains and out the windows, she saw a black SUV parked across the street. Then, almost as if it was waiting, the doorbell rang.

"Who'd be ringing at one in the morning?" John asked to himself.

Alice sighed, knowing she'd have to face it sometime or another. She set down the water glass and reluctantly opened the front door. Through the moonlight, she could see the man standing about a meter away from her front door.

"Who's that?" John called from the kitchen. He walked to the door. "Hallo. Bloody hell you're doing coming in the mid of night. You are?"

Jack just ignored him. "Are you happy?"

"Gwen warned me." Alice noted the –what was this?- slight wrinkles around her father's blue orbs. For once his eyes betrayed his age.

Jack flickered in a smile. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I know D-" Alice stopped herself from saying "dad" in fear of startling her fiancée. "We all are. See you around."

Jack nodded and silently returned to the SUV, like a ghost. "Who was that?" John asked as Alice closed the door.

"My brother," she lied. "I don't want to talk about."

John nodded in understanding. "You going to be alright love?" he asked.

Alice nodded slightly. She wasn't sure yet, but she felt that on that night… looking into her father's eyes, taking in his features… Taking in how much he'd aged in only 1000 years.

Alice found that maybe, just maybe, she had the capacity for forgiveness for him.

* * *

**And thus concludes _Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever_ Arc 1 "Temporary Home."**


	9. i need another story

**_full chapter title_: I NEED ANOTHER STORY****  
-from Secrets by OneRepublic**

**Sorry for not updating. I've been trying to work out what's going to happen. I have the entire third arc planned out as well. The timelines are kind of complicated, so I haven't been writing everything in chapter order. I skip around here and there.**

**Anyway, new arc called Always You.

* * *

**

It started out with a simple question on just another regular Torchwood day. Quiet one really. No end of the world stuff. No Weevils, well barely. The sun shown for once. The rain had disappeared and boy was the Plass the place to be, looking out into the harbor. The waters shown beautifully, like diamonds glittering in the sea.

The question wasn't prying or anything of that sort. It was just out of curiosity. You can't blame the human race for that can you? Even if the question does come from an immortal man.

"What's in locker 15?"

See? Simple.

It had been about six months since Jack had decided to stay. He'd very much healed inwardly by now. Acceptance, Liz called it. In those six months he had ignored the paperwork and files piling on his desk. It was just like the old days… almost.

"What's in locker 15?"

Jack meant the locker in the morgue. As the leader of Torchwood Cardiff, he had to stay on top of these things. The particular file that Jack held in his hands was a record of each use of each locker in the morgue. It had been printed out from the Torchwood online database.

Liz stopped in her tracks and glanced once at Jack before returning to the medical bay, analyzing the most current results. Lois acted like she didn't hear the captain while Gwen tried desperately to avoid the conversation.

"What's in locker 15?" Jack persisted. The file said that nothing had been held in it. However, considering that 16 was full (and they always filled up numerically), there was no reason that 15 shouldn't be either.

Still, no reply was given.

"If you're not going to tell me, I'll go look for myself," Jack said, frustrated with the lack of answer he was getting.

"No!" came the immediate protest of all three females.

"Okay…" Jack said, slowly retreating to his office door, hands up. "Calm down. It's not the end of the world, yet. Just tell me what's in the locker. Doesn't say anything on the file."

Liz and Lois's eyes both darted over to Gwen. The Welsh native took a deep breath and said calmly, "It's Ianto."

Jack's mouth immediately formed an "O" shape as he finally did disappear into his office.

_You took that well_, Liz commented inside the immortal's head. Ever since Jack had decided to stay, the two had been having private conversations with the mind.

_Not now_, Jack thought bitterly.

_You want to know why._

_No, I don't really think I do._

Liz sighed mentally. _Gwen got Martha to put it in a UNIT cyro. Then after we rebuilt, we had it moved here._

_And why, pray you, would you do that?_

_Just in case there was a way to…_ Liz let her thought trail off. Jack got the hint.

_I appreciate the consideration but I do remember you being the one who said to move on._

_You weren't supposed to find out._

_You think you could've hid it from me forever?_ Jack asked angrily. _Get out of my head. Now._

Liz cast a glance at Jack's office from her workstation and silently obeyed.

* * *

The wedding was in one month. It was all planned and ready. Perfect. Beautiful. Mind-blowing. Nothing could ruin Alice's special day. The attendants were few. On the groom's side was the family, a few close friends and work colleagues. Alice didn't have much. She had invited Torchwood, albeit a bit reluctantly, Rhiannon's family as well as Martha and Mickey. She hadn't once heard from her father since that day six months ago. Gwen had dropped by every so often. Sometimes Liz accompanied her, other times it was Lois.

They would send their love and Alice would invite them in for tea. It was the polite and courteous gesture. Torchwood and Alice still didn't mix. The staff knew that the daughter of the immortal man still held a grudge. Sometimes, John would be home time and they would chat like a normal group of friends.

Normal.

What an overrated word.

Once you touched Torchwood, nothing was normal. How long before John really knew? All he was aware of now was that Alice didn't have any family, except for her "brother." Even then, John had only met him once. Alice's mother had died years ago of natural causes. Her father passed away two years ago along with her son. But that was all. No circumstances, except a car accident.

With that being said, there wasn't even a hen party for her. Truthfully, she was a little too old.

Her night. One month. That wasn't enough time for everything to go wrong right?

But this was Torchwood. In Torchwood, anything goes.

* * *

Jack was out on the bay having his monthly (almost weekly) argument with the Prime Minister. Greene had been removed from office under the cover story of espionage. The new PM was a round man, balding and almost incapable of running UNIT British Branch and keeping Torchwood out of the government.

He came in about one hour later, hand running through his hair. He cursed incoherently, in a different language. Arguments with the Prime Minister never put the captain in a particularly good mood. Jack hung up his coat and tossed the mobile on his desk. "What's the date?" he asked, coming out from the office.

"March 14th," Lois answered automatically.

"That time of month…" the captain sighed. "Anymore readings from that school?" he asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Lois shrugged, pulling up the rift readings.

"Define ordinary," Gwen laughed.

"Which proves my point that nothing's wrong with the school," Liz stated firmly.

"You just don't want to go undercover at a _private_ school," Jack accused with his finger.

"It's overrated and cliché. I don't do cliché."

"You're going anyway," Jack ordered. "Tomorrow. New school week. Lois will sort out your cover story."

"What? That I'm the daughter of a rich and successfully entrepreneur who wears Dior perfume, designer clothes and carries around a Gucci handbag while balancing on four-inch high heels and having a real attitude problem? No thank you, I'll pass. And I have to wear a uniform." Liz shuddered at the thought. "Save me, please," she added sarcastically.

"I've flagged down suspects," Lois offered.

"Get Liz into the same classes with them," Jack ordered.

Liz rolled her eyes, seeing that her efforts were fruitless. She quickly returned to the autopsy bay. For the past half year, ever since Jack had come back, the Cardiff Preparatory School had exhibited rift spikes every month on the same week. At first, it was just put off as a coincidence. Nothing happened during the rift activity. After four times though, a person or two went missing. Odd happenings were reported by teachers and students. Then Jack was convinced.

The school was private and affordable only by the wealthiest citizens of Cardiff. Citizens such as accomplished doctors, lawyers, politicians, entrepreneurs. They were away from their homes so much that their children were usually raised by the butler or housekeeper. Because of that, and the money in the family, they usually got what they wanted. Spoiled, arrogant, conceited children who couldn't give a damn about their education, despite the amazing education opportunities at the prep school.

One hour later Lois produced fake paperwork for Liz. Her name was now Lauren Chen. Liz noted the overheard Chinese last name and decided it was smart move on Lois's part. Lauren was an American whose parents had decided to sent to school in Europe. David and Lily Chen were both successful were both accomplished doctors in America. Lauren: 16, born in Manhattan, New York but grew up with her grandparents in Dallas, Texas. "Which means you don't have to be careful about saying 'y'all,'" Jack noted. Lauren: liked American brands like Forever 21 and Wetseal. Lauren: just another rich girl.

Exhilarating.

Liz was given Torchwood contacts. A microscopic speaker had been embedded into her uniform collar. That way, base could also have audio if Liz had to look down or pretend she was a normal student. Staring at classmates and teachers all the time was sure to arouse suspicion.

Liz collapsed on the bed, glaring at her school things. She hadn't been to school in at least two years. Her mind drifted off to her little mind conversation with Jack this morning.

Liz was a doctor. True she didn't have the credentials to show it, but she could compete with any doctor in Cardiff, Wales. Part of practicing medicine was to understand patients psychologically. There was a term for that. Psychology. Being able to just read people.

Even thought Liz couldn't really dig around in Jack's head, she could see though Jack's subtle movements. He was teetering. He was borderline depression and acceptance.

He wasn't whole… Not yet he wasn't.


	10. don't cry it, it's the shot heard 'round

**_full chapter title_: DON'T CRY IT- IT'S THE SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD****  
-from Shot Heard 'Round the World by Boys Like Girls**

**SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING. Second semester is killing me. But here're two chapters. I'm about halfway done with this arc.

* * *

**

"Contacts?" Jack asked from his mobile.

"Yes," Liz checked. "Shouldn't you know that?"

"Retcon?"

"Doubt I need it. You'll come in before I even get to use it."

"Books. Gear. Software. Scanner…." Jack trailed on and on.

"Yes _dad_," the girl joked. The chauffer in the front seat eyed Liz through the rearview mirror. "I have everything, including the number two pencils."

"And tell Andy to get the car back here as soon as possible. If not, we'll know. There's a tracker on it."

"Yes," Liz rolled her eyes. "Bye." With that she flipped her phone shut and stuck it in her book bag. "Jack says you'd better return the car," she told her chauffer.

"Nice set of wheels this," PC Andy commented, gesturing with one hand at the steering wheel.

"But you're giving it back."

"Yeah yeah," the police constable dismissed. "Just tell me one more time how _I_ of all people get dragged into this mess?"

"Unsightly for a female chauffer so Johnson's out of the question. Rhys has to take care of his son and Mickey's off freelancing with Martha. No idea where he is."

"Which leaves me," Andy deduced.

"Sounds right. Besides, you can't tell me you don't like the feeling of being part of all the action."

"Driving a car. Very actionable."

"You're the liaison between Torchwood and the regular police force. Get used to it."

There was a small silence between the two before Andy inquired, "Can't Gwen and them hear us right now?"

"No," Liz replied, fingering her messenger-style book bag. "The contacts read lips and the speaker's not on. Why?"

"Because I was going to ask how your boss was."

"Honestly, or how he pretends to be?"

"Both."

"He looks like he's over it. He's convinced that he's over it, but-"

"You know a hell of a lot better, dontcha?"

The teenager nodded. "Especially after he found out we'd frozen Ianto's body."

"Well looks like this is your stop." The police constable pushed the gear into neutral. Outside the Mercedes window, Liz could see the red and black plaid skirts of other school girls as well as the plaid ties of the boys. Private school rich jerks.

"God have mercy," Liz muttered as her hand flew to the collar of her shirt. She turned the miniscule speaker on and said, "I'm going in. You owe me Jack."

With that, she stepped out and rolled her eyes, full knowing that Jack would see it through the cameras. Quickly, the sixteen year old did a mental check of weapons. Her switchblade that she always carried around was safely tucked in a sewn-in flap in her sleeve. The gun was a bit trickier. She couldn't leave it in a book bag, as it would be discovered. She didn't have a large jacket to hide a holster. She couldn't really stuff it anywhere around his waist. At last, she settled on a small pistol strapped to her thigh. The skirt she had to wear was long enough anyway. The scanner was in her bag as was her phone, supplied with all of the Torchwood software.

Contacts were in her eyes. These had been new and improved. Speaking directly to the wearer was possible, and not just for emergencies. "I want a picture of the vicinity," Jack ordered from the Hub. "Look around."

"I know," Liz muttered quietly into the speaker as she slowly surveyed her surroundings. Immediately, she was greeted by a professionally dressed woman. She had dirty blonde hair that fell five inches beneath her shoulders. The suit she wore accented her skinny form while eyeliner brought out her eyes. Despite the flattering attire, her face was strict.

"You must be the new student," she said, sticking out her hand. "Lauren Chen I presume?"

"Yes ma'am," Liz replied, playing the politeness card and shaking the woman's hand.

"I'm Mrs. Coulter, assistant headmaster. "If you'll follow me." The headmaster would like to formally meet you before you begin classes. We'll supply you with your schedule and a map of the school grounds."

"Thank you," replied the undercover student.

"So Lauren, where are you from?" They were walking across the school commons and to the headmaster's office. It was a separate building from all of the other classical styled buildings.

"New York," she immediately answered, pulling out her memorized cover. "But I grew up in Texas. Mom and dad were busy."

"I'm sure," Mrs. Coulter agreed. "Who are they again?"

"David and Lily Chen, ma'am."

"Ah, the doctors. I read your background information. Your parents were smart to send you here. Education is a high value in your family isn't it?"

Liz nodded in return, all the while thinking about how the kids here could care less about academics. Little letters appeared on her contacts. _Get images of HQ._

By "HQ" Jack probably meant the main office. Liz looked down at her hand and displayed a quick thumbs up before returning her sight to the office.

"Miss Chen," the headmaster greeted monotonously. "Pleasure." Liz merely smiled, unsure of what to respond.

_Mind_, Lois typed. It was another order from Jack.

Carefully, but cautiously, Liz probed Mrs. Coulter and the headmaster's minds. Nothing suspicious. She'd have to report that to Jack once she wasn't under heavy surveillance.

A sheet of paper was being forced into the girl's hands. It was her schedule. There were eight hours in a school day at Cardiff Prep. Four courses were mandatory: English, mathematics, science and history. The math course for her grade level, 10, was algebra 2. The science course was biology and the history course was world history. All boring courses really when you've worked with Torchwood. There was also a mandatory foreign language, excluding Welsh. Because one of the flagged suspicious people was in Chinese, Jack had told Lois to place her there. It was also a plus since Liz already had some background there. That left three courses to fill in. Art Portfolio was one of them, along with medical science, something Liz found amusing. The last course was a physical education course.

The headmaster, who had introduced himself and Emil Stanford, had been talking, explaining the motto and morals of the school. Frankly, Liz didn't care. She was too absorbed in getting the mission over with as soon as possible.

Before she knew it, she had been dismissed and quickly ran off to her first class, Biology. The bell had already rung, but the teacher knew of the new student that was attending. As she swiftly walked to the classes building, Liz spoke quietly into the speaker on her collar. "Nothing suspicious from Coulter or Stanford," she reported.

"Probe as many people as you can," Jack told her.

"What if they notice? A lot of people have a heightened telepathic field around them. I can quote many from the past."

"Then be careful. We'll send Gwen over as a school evaluator later during your lunch hour to check things over. Make sure you're safe."

"I'm perfectly able to take care of myself." Finally, she reached her classroom door. "Going in," she breathed and opened the door.


	11. years of bad luck and it ain't getting

**_full chapter title_: YEARS OF BAD LUCK AND IT AIN'T GETTING CLEARER****  
-from On the Inside by Daughtry

* * *

**Liz's class schedule had been pre-determined by Lois and followed the suspicious students perfectly. In first period Biology two boys, Daniel and Carson, had been flagged. Apparently, one month ago they had been caught at the scene of the crime. They denied any knowledge as to what had happened to the student victim Carolina Saunders. She had gone missing that month. The police eventually gave up on the case having found nothing that could link the two boys to the disappearance.

"If there's alien tech involved," Jack had said, "they the police will never figure it out."

Half of the morning went by and Liz tapped her desk impatiently. These _students_ as the school dare called them, cared absolutely _nothing_ about the courses they were enrolled in. Yet somehow, they all passed? It was the middle of English and the teacher has just started a new unit on Modernist Literature. She handed out books of T.S. Eliot.

"Turn to page 12," the teacher, Mrs. Bauer, instructed. "The Hollow Men," she read, for that was the title of the poem. Scanning the class, she laid her eyes on Liz. "Lauren," she smiled, "would you please read?"

Liz gave a nod and turned her eyes to the book. On the screen back in the Hub, Jack, Gwen and Lois watched, but more so listened, intently.

"We are the hollow men," Liz began. "We are the stuffed men/Learning together/Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!/Our dried voices, when/We whisper together/Are quiet and meaningless/As wind in dry grass/Or rats' feet over broken glass/In our dry cellar." Somewhere to Liz's right, a student snickered. Liz tried to suppress her irritation and continued.

"Shape without form, shape without colour/Paralysed force, gesture without motion;/Those who have crossed/With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom." Here Liz paused for a split second, realizing that the poem was probably killing Jack on the inside. "Remember us – if at all – not as lost," she read strongly, "Violent souls, but only/As the hollow men/The stuffed men."

The girl paused to take a breath as it was the end of the first section of the poem.

"So he's talking about scarecrows," Carson concluded. Liz rolled her eyes.

"Dead scarecrows," another student corrected. If Liz remembered correctly, her name was Jennifer. He father was part of the city council.

"Dead scarecrows," Carson started, "that are fat. Why else would they be _stuffed_?"

"But aren't they hollow?" Daniel pointed out.

"They're dead!" Carson threw his hands up in the air. "Who cares?"

By then, Liz had had enough. "Death!" she exclaimed, looking back at the students. She sat in the front row and had to turn around in her chair to see everyone else. "You have _brains_. Use them!"

"New girl's got a temper!" Daniel whispered to Carson.

"New girl's going to kick you to LA if you don't lose the attitude." Daniel shrunk back a bit. "T.S. Eliot is one of _the_ best writers of all time. And for God's sake you lot go to one of the best schools in Cardiff and you act like a bunch of stuck-up, rich-kid _snobs_ who don't give a damn about education because you think you're all going to get your parents' money. Well FYI, when the world ends with a whisper instead of a bang, keep that in mind. And yes, I didn't just quote Eliot." No one in the class responded. "_The Hollow Men_ is a five part poem about three kingdoms of death. It talks about how the dead live through the living's memories; it talks about fear of death, how death is empty and how in the end, we all die. And just for background, Eliot thought religion was dead and that society was empty. So shut it and pay attention."

Satisfied, Liz turned around and faced the front again. "I think you do have a temper," Jack informed her. Despite, that his voice sounded a bit broken.

There was no such thing as everyone dying in the end. He was living proof of it. Hah. Living proof. The pun was unintentional in Jack's thoughts.

"Shut up," Liz wrote in her book before looking up at her teacher. Mrs. Bauer was as bit taken aback. "May I continue?" The teacher nodded dumbly. "Eyes I dare not meet in dreams/In death's dream kingdom/These do not appear:/There, the eyes are/Sunlight on a broken column/There the tree is swinging/And voices are/In the wind's singing/More distant and more solemn/Than a fading star.

"Let me be no nearer/In death's dream kingdom/Let me also wear/Such deliberate disguises/Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves/In a field/Behaving as the wind behaves/No nearer-/Not that final meeting/In the twilight kingdom."

Liz went on to read the third and fourth sections to the poem and got passed the bit about the prickly pear before taking a deep breath and saying, "Between the idea/And the reality/Between the motion/And the act/Falls the Shadow/_For Thine is the Kingdom_./Between the conception/And the creation/Between the emotion/And the response/Falls the Shadow/_Life is very long_./Between the desire/And the spasm/Between the potency/And the existence/Between the essence/And the descent/Falls the Shadow/_For Thine is the Kingdom_./For Thine is/Life is/For Thine is the…

"_This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper_."

* * *

It was five minutes into the lunch hour. Gwen had come as a surveyor and questioned Liz about how she felt about the school, all in a professional manner of course. The Welshwoman had subtly stated that Jack was out doing a routine Weevil hunt. It would be just Lois at the comms. Then Gwen was led off by Mrs. Coulter for a tour of the school grounds.

Lunch was a great dilemma for Liz, or rather Lauren Chen. The new girl had already made enemies, namely her English class and medical science class. First it was T.S. Eliot and then it was acing the med sci placement exam with a breeze. After all, she was _Torchwood's_ doctor.

She found her own little corner and sat down, placing her book bag on the table. Then she pulled out her Torchwood phone and hid it underneath the table, quickly scanning the proximity for any minute Rift readings. "What's that?" a girl asked.

Quickly, Liz promptly turned off screen of the phone. "Just texting a friend," she lied smoothly. The girl scrambled inside her own mind for why this other girl looked familiar. "You're in my English class," she realized, after scanning the other girl's mind too.

"Katerina Coulter. How do you do?" Katerina stuck out he and Liz shook it. "Kat for short."

"Coulter as in assistant headmaster?" Liz quickly made the connection. Kat nodded.

_Get close_, Liz's contacts read. _Need connections_.

"I didn't piss you off did I?" Liz made a show of acting concerned. Why was she so good at this? Being heartless and oh-so uncaring while putting a front that showed so sense of compassion.

"Nah," Kat shook her head and sat down next to Liz. "I've wanted to have a go at Carson and Daniel. They're complete prats."

_Ask about the guys_, Lois messaged.

"So Carson and Daniel," Liz prompted. "Should I guess who's worse?"

"I'll give you fifty quid when I see the day. They're two peas in a pod. On second thought, they're two _rotten_ peas in a pod." Kat laughed and Liz joined in, hoping her own laughter didn't sound as fake as she thought it did. "And if they ever start hitting on you…" Kat trailed off.

"Make a run for it?"

"Yep!" the girl laughed. "So America huh?"

"Yeah," Liz nodded. "Good ol' States."

"Jackie in Biology said that she'd went there over summer and that the sky was so much smaller, but everything was so much more… brilliant."

"She got to New York?"

"I suppose. Yes. You've been there?"

"I lived there when I was a kid. Then my parents sent me down to Texas, though I don't suppose you know where that is?"

"Of course I do! Clint Eastwood and his, uh, cowboy movies right?"

"Honestly, that's barely what a sixth of the population's like. I lived in Dallas. Polluted, dirty, crime and just about everything else a city can be. I go back to NYC every now and then during break."

The bell rang right as Liz finished talking. "I'll see you then," Kat said, gathering her things. Liz nodded and headed off in the other direction to physical education.

* * *

**Got the name "Katerina" from one of my Whiz Quiz buddies**

**Also, the poem read in class was _The Hollow Men_ by T.S. Eliot. I love his literature and though this suited Jack very well. Also, if you're a Whoverse geek like me, you'll remember part of it was used in Doctor Who _The Lazarus Experiment_ in which the Doctor talks about how long life isn't always that great.**


	12. broken bones from separation, don't you

**_full chapter title_: BROKEN BONES FROM SEPARATION, DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S VIOLATION?****  
-from All There Lives by Daughtry**

**Won't be updating for a few days. Still need to write the next chapter!**

* * *

Jack came back and told Gwen and Lois to return home for the day. This was his investigation; they needn't waste their day on it. Gwen took the hint as a free afternoon with Rhys and Lois tagged along to visit their baby Jack.

Rhys opened the door and a smile lit his face. "Mam!" the little boy cried, running in between his father's legs.

"Hello!" Gwen greeted, picking Jack up.

Lois smiled and shook the little boy's hand playfully. Rhys invited the young Torchwood agent in for tea and they all tried to avoid the topic of Jack –like they always did.

Meanwhile, Jack stared blankly at the computer screen documenting everything Liz saw. It was rather interesting to see her outrun and outdo her _male_ classmates in sports. She was Torchwood. Torchwood had to be fast, assertive, nimble and quick.

One week and two days passed. Lauren Chen had quickly become some sort of celebrity at school. She was either loved by one side or hated by the other. The hated side seemed to be stronger. No one liked her attitude that suggested she was better and that she knew something that they didn't. It was practically like she was waving a thousand dollar check in their faces.

One of the people Cameron Schattle, Cam for short. She had her group of "mean girls" and basically ruled the school. Lauren, however, was upsetting her reign. Cameron was also one of the suspects.

Jack had also begun to wonder if Liz was right and that this operation was meaningless.

In that short time, Katerina had become good friends with Lauren (not Liz). Kat was the one to suggest Lauren try out the school talent show, especially after much taunting from Cam.

When the time for the talent show came, Cam jeered and taunted the hardest. Liz just rolled her eyes. She could not _believe_ how clichéd this was all playing out, just like American television dramas. Lauren was called onto the stage. She'd abandoned her school girl outfit for bleached jeans, a blue plaid button shirt and a pair of high-top splattered Converses. There was a bass stool set out for her and the microphone had been lowered to sitting level. Setting her feet on the bar of the stool, Liz settled the guitar strap on her shoulder and started to strum.

_I woke up with a tear track on my face. I forgot what I dreamt about, but it must have been something about you. I'm usually strong; I usually don't cry. But nowadays, it seems so hard._

_But I try; I try to be what I used to be. I try to be the one. I try to do all I can. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and find out what went wrong. But I know this is meant to be. This is hard for me to say, but goodbye._

_I can't seem to get a hold of myself. Can't even explain what goes on around me. I know that I learned from all of my mistakes, but it's too late to change and now it's time to walk away._

_So goodbye. Just know that this is hard for me but things aren't just the same. Every time I heard your name I want to scream out loud. I don't know what is left I me. What we had is now a memory. Even thought this is hard for me to say, this is goodbye._

_It hurts to have to leave but who am I to say that we aren't meant to be. Our love started with a hello and ended with a goodbye, and simply letting go._

_So goodbye, just know that this is hard for me. But things aren't just the same. Every time I heard your name I want to scream out loud. I don't know what is left I me. What we had is now a memory. Even thought this is hard for me to say, this is goodbye._

When Liz ended the song, and received decent applause, Cam rolled her eyes, obviously displeased. Kat tackled Lauren with a hug, exclaiming in her rapid fire voice that she "totally showed Cam." Liz just smiled.

Then another week passed by.

"Maybe whoever's behind this suspects that you work for somebody," Jack suggested, trying desperately not to the proven wrong.

"Or _maybe_," Liz countered, "Cardiff Prep has a history of troubled rich kids who aren't satisfied with life and run away or commit suicide. And the strange stuff? Pranks, practical jokes. Seen Cam lately?"

Nevertheless, Jack kept sending Liz in.

* * *

Lois was perusing the files of the Cardiff Prep: student databases, profiles, school history. It was only then that she realized something about all of the victims. They had rocket high grade points and imaginative creativity. The former civil servant wasn't sure what creativity had to do with anything but intelligence was unquestionably a red flag.

Then the techie dug even deeper through the backgrounds of the flagged suspects, but she didn't find anything suspicious until she ran into an encrypted file. Lois laughed at the simplicity of the programmed code but was in for a shock when she discovered what the file contained.

Jack called a board meeting. "Cameron Schattle." He slapped the file on the table and Liz reached for it. "Lois," he prompted.

"Cameron Schattle," the woman began, "born April 13th 1994. Daughter to Russell and Whitney Schattle."

"Otherwise known as a complete bitch," Liz added.

"Orphan," Lois added.

Jack looked up in surprise, following suit to Gwen and Liz. "What?" he asked. "That was never on the file."

"It was hidden. Encrypted. Some kind of layered wall in the system. It's not like any of us expected something like that from a high school kid."

"What else is there?" Gwen inquired.

"She lives under foster care. Apparently, her father was CEO of a multinational corporation in the petro business down in the Middle East. He and Cam's mother were there when an extremist group blew up their escort. That was about, five years ago?"

"I remember that," Jack slowly started. "A Mr. Rutherford something or other."

Lois nodded. "For unknown reasons, her name was changed and her records wiped. Now she lives with foster parents. Attends Cardiff Prep with the money she'll inherit when she comes of age. Her boyfriend was killed months ago. Unknown causes."

"Wait. Boyfriend?" Liz asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"Who in the right mind would want to date her?"

"But what's this got to do with everything?" Gwen cut in. "We haven't got strong proof that Cameron is the one who's causing all these disappearances."

"I think the encrypted file is proof enough," Liz quipped.

"Yes. But then, Jack, remember the Sleeper? What if this is all just a ploy from the real person, or alien, who's doing this? For all we know, it could be the Coulter girl."

Liz shook her head. "It's not. Tested just about every person's DNA, but Cam's. As far as I can tell, Cam's the biggest suspect."

"Well then," Jack sighed. He slapped his hands on the table and pushed himself up. "Guess we just have to get some evidence."

* * *

"I heard a really nasty rumor about Cam," Lauren informed, sliding into the seat next to Katerina the next day at lunch.

"Oh yes, do spill," Kat urged. Her mouth was filled with the school's fish and chips.

"Something about her mom and dad."

"What about?"

"Big rich people. CEOs and stuff."

"That's your big rumor?"

"Well no."

"Well then spill!"

"I never really meant to eavesdrop, but a couple of boys were talking about a Mitchell something or other."

Immediately, Katerina's face darkened and Liz knew she'd hit the spot. "Oh."

"What happened?" Lauren pushed.

"He got into a fight with a bunch of boys," Katerina stated blandly.

_More…_ Lois typed from the SUV parked across the street of the school.

"And?"

"She'd kill me if I told you."

"Then I won't say I heard it from you. Now come on!"

Kat sighed and wiped her hands on her napkin. Turning to Liz with her dead serious eyes, she started. "His name was Mitchell, but we all called him Mitch. Cute, blond hair. Well-built. Model material, which made sense. His mom used to be one. He always had a taste for danger though. Probably why Cam went out with him in the first place.

"It was some time later that we was out for a stroll to Cam's place. There was the street gang attacking some woman. He enough heart to step in and try to break it up. What he didn't know was that they were armed. One of the guys shot him in the leg. It wasn't still hours later when someone came across him. It was already too late when they got him to the hospital. He'd lost too much blood.

"Cam took it the hardest. Honestly, I'd never expect that coming from her. After that, she became the bitch she is now. Practically has the entire school under her feet. She's still broken about him though, convinced she'll see him again."

"Doing anything to get back the one you care about," Liz whispered quietly. Back in the SUV, Gwen, Lois and Jack were watching the contacts-documented video carefully. Gwen felt Jack stiffen up a bit when Liz said the almost inaudible line.

"Makes me feel bad that I kick her around like that," Lauren said.

"Don't be," the other girl responded. "She deserves it. Just because you lose someone doesn't make you the center of the world."

"You wouldn't know the start of it," Lauren laughed. Kat eyed her quizzically. "Never mind." Then the two girls engaged in a gossip filled conversation until the lunch bell sounded.

* * *

**I don't particularly like this chapter because it's so cliched, but I just had to add in the song. It's called _Goodbye_ by Cathy Nguyen and ****Randolph Permejo.**


	13. a father, mother, asking why this world

**_full chapter title_: A FATHER, MOTHER, ASKING WHY THIS WORLD CAN BE SO CRUEL****  
-from All These Lives by Daughtry**

* * *

The next day at lunch, Katerina asked, "Are you going to the dance?"

"There's a dance?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah. Tonight actually."

"Guess I'm not then. Haven't got a dress or the time to shop for it or a date for that matter." Truthfully, Liz was going to go to the dance, just not for the purpose of dancing. It would be the perfect time to snoop around the school and check for any alien tech. It was the only time Jack, Gwen and Lois could come in without the staff and student body noticing.

"We'll go after school!" Kat was suddenly excited about everything.

"I'm busy," Lauren replied sadly.

"You work to hard!" exclaimed the girl. "Loosen up. None of the teachers are expecting anyone to do any of the homework tonight." Lauren had that I'm-not-so-sure look on her face. "Come on!"

"I'll buy a dress, myself, if you promise not to criticize it."

"So you'll come?"

"Are you giving me a choice?"

"No. I suppose not," Kat smiled.

* * *

Lois, of all people, made a fuss about Liz looking good for the dance. "I don't have a date," Liz reiterated. She'd gone online to look for a dress and had it shipped immediately. Within one hour of receiving it at the tourist information building, Liz was dressed in a Blurred Floral Magenta Gradient Dress with matching flats and a pair of leggings. Lois had insisted she do Liz's hair as well.

"It's how I made money in uni," she'd insisted.

So now, Liz stood at the back of the gymnasium almost unnoticed. She was just about to slip out when Kat caught her. "You look great!" she beamed.

"Yeah. I accidently slipped to a friend and she couldn't resist doing my hair."

"Well. I've got to go to the loo. She you in about ten minutes?"

"Yeah," Liz shrugged and watched as the girl left. Three minutes later, Liz made her choice to slip away and join her team at the far end of the hall.

* * *

Katerina Coulter was just going to go use the restroom when she saw a flashing light from down the long corridor. She'd just left the toilets and by chance, there that golden flash was. Cautiously, Kat made her way down the hallway. The light pulsated and she could see two silhouettes cast by the bright glow. She was just about to turn the corner when she heard a scream.

* * *

Liz approached the rest of the team when they heard the scream. All at once they had guns drawn and raised by their heads. They all ran the corridor where they heard the scream come from.

"Freeze!" Jack yelled. He became confused when he saw Kat pressed up against the wall in fear.

"11 o'clock!" warned Liz. "Behind the corner. Lois, you were right."

As if to prove Elizabeth's words, Cameron came out from behind the corner. Kat immediately ran over and cowered behind the Torchwood team. "And this would be?" Cam taunted. She kicked a golden box out with her. Immediately, Gwen, Liz, Lois and Jack aimed their guns at Cam.

"Who are you?" Katerina asked shakily. Four people holding guns unwaveringly at students was _not_ her idea of normal. "Lauren, what are you… what's going on? What's with the gun? And-"

"Shut it!" Liz snapped, never leaving her eyes off the target. It was a small golden box on the floor next to Cam. It pulsated with power. She could feel it. The telepathic energy surrounding it nearly made her nauseous. So that was what made the students disappear. A force so great that once you looked into it, you could burn up on the spot and be forever lost in unsearchable knowledge of the universe. No human could stand that kind of power.

At Liz's order, Katerina flinched. Her eyes flickered over to the man in the WWII attire. That was a little odd for this day and age.

"You're different," Cam commented at Liz, fingering her hair. "You've always seemed different. From the moment you stepped into class, just by the way you came in, it seemed liked you knew all there is to know. Maybe if you have a look-"

"In your sick dreams," Liz spat, clutching her gun even tighter.

"You know what it is?" the blonde smiled maliciously.

"The God-Maker," Liz told her. "The Skasis Paradigm. An unsolvable code. Crack it and you can rewrite the universe. Of course, you _do_ understand that it's impossible to unlock it without a little bit of imagination, right?"

"Why do you think I'm asking you?" Cam inquired sweetly.

"Anyone who looks at it will turn to dust. You know that too right?

"Why are you doing this?" Gwen demanded.

"Why do you think I'll tell you?" Cam replied.

"Liz!" Jack barked. It was a one word order full of meaning behind it.

Happily, Liz plunged deep past the weak mental barriers of Cam's mind. She made it as painful as she possibly could. Cam flinched and Liz realized that the girl had built up a strong mental barrier. It was probably one of the side effects of over-exposure to the Paradigm. She relayed the information back to Jack silently.

"Go." Jack's order was unwavering as Gwen and Lois backed away. Liz tried to pry Katerina away from the scene, but she resisted. As the Torchwood doctor dragged the student away Cam taunted her.

"Running away?"

"This isn't my fight," Liz replied and pulled Kat out of sight.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jack said, not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah and that's what they all say," Cam shot back. "Because they don't get it."

"I do." Jack kept his voice calm. "It's like the entire universe has been ripped away and there's nothing you can do about it-"

"So you're Torchwood?"

"-But you can't go on like this."

"What makes you think you can tell me what to do?"

"This is coming from someone who knows more than you do. Who's lost more than you have."

"And what _do_ you know?"

"Three million light years lies the Medusa Cascade, where the Earth was moved to two years ago. The aliens that came out of the sky were Daleks. And somewhere in time and space is a Time Lord called the Doctor, last of his kind, who was unable to save children two years ago so that job was left to someone who took the risk and had to lose everything in the process. His love, family, soul and sanity."

"Bullshit."

"If that's what you like to think."

"If you're telling the truth, why don't you sneak a peek? You could end all that. Rewrite the world, the universe, time. Everything would play out the way you wanted to."

For a moment there, Jack was tempted. Oh-so tempted to lift that lid open and look. What did he have to lose? He was immortal. He would come back some way or another. But there was a lingering feeling in the back of his mind. It was the ghost of someone he loved and trusted and it was frowning at him. Besides? What would the Doctor say? "I'm just here to stop you," Jack finally responded.

"I don't want to."

"You have to."

"I don't have to listen to you!" Cam screamed. "I don't! I've lost my mother and father. Mitch died some pathetic death and all the while, no one's acted like they cared."

"That's because you've never opened up to anyone. You never let them have a chance."

"I don't need you telling me what to do."

"Cameron-"

"No!" She yanked open the top of the box and let herself get lost in the knowledge and frenzy. Nothing but dust.

Jack stared once at the box and threw the temporal black hole detonator at it. It was gone. Forever. Lost in time and space. He eyed Gwen and Lois who were busy dealing with the headmaster and authorities, mentally noting that they'd have to Retcon the entire school. Then he walked out to the SUV where Liz was tending to a badly bruised Katerina. "Take this for the pain," the doctor ordered and handed her an industrial strength painkiller. Liz eyed Jack who was coming towards them. "You were going to do it," she told him quietly. "You were going to look weren't you? Just to see if you could."

"You're the one who can read my mind," Jack snapped bitterly. "Shouldn't you know?" Liz kept quiet after that and let Jack's attention direct his attention to the assistant headmaster's daughter. "Take the painkiller," he ordered.

"You're Torchwood," Kat stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness," the immortal corrected. "Now take the pill."

"How do I know you're not trying to kill me?"

"I would have told Liz to do that a long time ago. Take it." Jack's voice was losing its patience.

"And what about Cam?" Kat demanded. "She killed herself didn't she? And her boyfriend. Her family. What about all the other people who died?"

"There's nothing we can do about that now."

"It's like two years ago!" the girl cried. Jack, who'd been turning around, froze solid and faced the girl. "That was my little sister they almost took away!"

"Kat," Liz whispered softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped. Apparently Gwen and Lois had heard the commotion and quickly ran outside only to see Katerina take it out on Jack. "The whole world knew something or another about Torchwood after that. Most people said it was just rumors though. My tad said that no one was ever there to help! They just let the government take them! Take the kids!! So where were you?!" Katerina shrieked.

Gwen knew they were talking about the 456. She remembered the video she'd made asking why the Doctor wasn't there to save them. But this was different. Jack had given everything to save the Earth. He didn't deserve this right now. Not after one thousand years.

"Where was Torchwood?" Jack began softly, but articulately. "Where. Was. I?" he continued. The volume of his voice went up a notch. He was trying his hardest not to lose it. "I'll tell you where I was. I was blown up and cemented in a cell. My team was targeted all because of a stupid mistake I made, oh, forty-six or so years ago. And _that_ stupid mistake killed my lover. On top of that, I sacrificed my own _grandson_ to kill the 456 and save your sorry sister's life as well as all the other children out there. And after that? I killed myself repeatedly for a millennium, hoping that I could finally die. Does that answer your question?"

Kat started wide-eyed at the man in front of her. "Jack…" Liz whispered.

"Take the pill," Jack ordered.

Kat obeyed and dry-swallowed the pill. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you'll forget in a matter of ten seconds. That was an amnesia pill." With that, Kat slumped down and was caught. "Retcon the food and fountain water," Jack ordered. "And don't follow."

With that, he turned and walked away. His coat, for once, didn't not flap behind his back.


	14. i can see written on his face that he

**_full chapter title_: I CAN SEE IT WRITTEN ON HIS FACE THAT HE HAD NEVER FELT THIS WAY****  
-from Here Comes Goodbye by Rascal Flatts**

**I tweaked the lyrics a bit to fit Jack's POV.  
The original lyrics were: _I can see it written on her face that she had never felt this way._**

* * *

Weevil hunts weren't much fun anymore. Just tedious. This time, Jack purposely let the alien tear him to shreds. Not necessarily to shreds. Jack didn't really care if Ianto would be disappointed in him. He just needed some oblivion.

Once again he fell into darkness and nothingness. Then he felt arms wrap around his figure. The embrace was too much and Jack cried –if you could cry when you were dead. Ianto rocked his lover back and forth soothingly, whispering lines of Welsh in his ear. It seemed to work as Jack calmed down and reached out for the Welshman's ghostly face. Jack's fingers found what they were looking for and he pulled Ianto in for a kiss. It was just a feeling of lips brushing past each other, but that was good enough for the captain.

Then Jack let out a huge, horrible sob –a sound he had not made since six months ago. "Why me?" he asked.

There was no reply.

"Why do I have to be alone?"

"You're not."

"Yes. Yes I am."

"You're not the only one alone," Ianto disagreed. "I haven't told you Jack, but it's just me here. Waiting. I don't even know what I'm waiting for, besides you. I don't know why everyone comes here and disappears the next moment. It's like something's holding me here, but I'm grateful. It means I'll see you."

"I've condemned you to eternal damnation as well."

"I. Love. You. How many deaths is it going to take for you to realize that?"

"I know. Just, survivor's guilt."

"I don't regret anything. I do wish we had a little bit longer, but this is Torchwood."

"No one understood me like you did. Gwen just idolized me. Owen and Tosh were just somewhere off there. They never really lost anyone like you and I did. I need someone Ianto. I need someone to hold me back and hold me. I need someone like someone the Doctor has. I need _you_."

"You have me. In your head and heart whenever you're awake and alive."

When Jack woke up, he didn't come with the great theatrics of arms flailing and sharp breaths. Instead he took a gasp with his eyes closed. He sat up and pushed himself off the ground, only daring to open his eyes then. Gwen was off in the distance, Weevil sedated, and leaning against the SUV. Of course she'd come when no one else told her to.

He quietly approached her and took the driver's seat. They drove in silence the first halfway back to the Hub. "I sent Lois and Liz back home," Gwen offered.

Jack didn't reply.

Gwen ventured a little further, stepping on dangerous territory. "You didn't have to run off and tried to get killed."

Still no reply.

"It wasn't your fault today."

When was Jack going to acknowledge her presence?

"She chose what she chose. You're stronger than her for taking the other path."

Jack was being insanely frustrating.

"Damn it Jack!" Gwen finally broke. "It wasn't your bloody fault!"

Gwen's outburst sparked Jack's rage. He slammed on the brakes in the middle of the deserted road. "Do you know what it's like?" Jack shot back. "If it was Rhys, would you believe it? Oh I'm sure you can imagine it, but you never know and you never truly care until it happens to you! I loved him Gwen! What part of that can't you understand?!"

There. He'd yelled it out loud. Admitted his love with such a force he never thought possible. Ashamed, he returned his eyes to the road and accelerated once again. He added in a small whisper, "I see him when I'm dead." Gwen placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I gave him a kiss when we were dying. That must have kept him in the limbo between life and death."

"You're right," Gwen answered. "I don't understand. But for the meanwhile, I'm going to keep trying if it means we can get Torchwood back to where we started."

They shared a look and continued back to the Hub where Gwen took her own car back to her flat. Once again, Jack was all alone.

* * *

The next day Jack wasn't at the Hub. He'd left a note on his office door that there had been a small flare in Rift activity and that he'd gone out to check it. If he wasn't back yet it either meant he died, or the job was more than he expected. In conclusion, they should probably just leave him alone for the morning. Gwen secretly hoped he hadn't gotten addicted to suicide, again. It was then that the small flare in the Rift activity came up.

"Hey! Look," Lois pointed at the screen. Liz and Gwen crowded around the station.

"Can you see what it is?" Gwen asked.

"Let me get some readings first. Mass says it's pretty big thought," Lois informed. She typed in some codes and a page of wavelengths came up. "Seems that there's some energy from it. Like… medical. Liz, your field."

The teenager studied the screen and tried to visualize what Lois was talking about. "Can you get a rough outline or size of whatever it is?" Liz asked.

Lois's fingers flew rapidly over the keys as Gwen asked, "A hunch?"

Liz shrugged. "I remember something that looks like this. Jack told me about. Chula warship, from the future. The readings were as he hinted they should be."

"Done!" Lois declared.

"And I was right," Liz nodded.

"What's this Chula thing?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know that much. The only reason is because it was a slip of tongue from Jack and I forced him to tell me what it was. Some kind of spaceship from the future from some race called Chula who traded with humans. The point is… locker 15 came in handy. We have to hide this from Jack," Liz quickly said, sitting in front of her own computer. She deleted some of the CCTV videos and replaced them with other looped ones that showed them working. Then, producing a USB, she saved the information Lois had gathered onto it and deleted them from the database, even altering the Rift readings.

"Why are you doing this?" Gwen asked.

Liz simply smiled with that twinkle in her eyes that showed she had a plan. "We're going to give the immortal his miracle."

* * *

**The next chapter doesn't begin how you would think it would begin!!!**


	15. you're just a fool, just a fool to

**_full chapter title_: YOU'RE JUST A FOOL, JUST A FOOL TO BELIEVE YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD****  
-from Change by Carrie Underwood**

**Don't worry! I know where I'm going with all this!  
**

**

* * *

**

There were mixed reactions from Lois and Gwen. Lois remained passive about the situation as Liz battled it out with Gwen. The Welsh native protested that she shouldn't go through with the plan. The American on the other hand didn't see why she shouldn't give it a go.

"Do you know it'll work?" Gwen asked.

"It won't hurt if we try!"

"How exactly do you plan on doing this?"

"It'll come to me," Liz replied. "What do you have against it?"

"Because you think you know everything about just about everyone. But here's to you. You're going to pour all your energy into this, and when it doesn't work, don't come crying to me."

Liz opened her mouth to say something intelligent but closed it again, biting her lip. The Hub door sounded and the cog wheel rolled open. Jack came through in a happy, joking mood. "That is the last time I'm letting a little kid play with a harmless alien plant. The thing exploded all over her! Now she's died pink for the rest of the month!" He glanced over at his team and sensed the dissipating tension. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," Liz convinced coolly and bounced down to the autopsy bay.

Jack looked over at Gwen and gave a shrug before retreating to his office. He seemed in such a good mood, circumstances given, that none of the girls wanted to ruin his day with their argument.

The next day Liz came in with a mild cough. The others asked if she was alright and she dismissed the illness. It wasn't until midday that she was coughing violently with a huge fever.

"You're a doctor!" Jack exclaimed. "You can call in your own sick days if you want."

"I'm fine!" she insisted, ending the statement with another cough.

"Well I don't want you to get everyone else sick. The Rift doesn't care if there's no one there to watch it."

"Exactly why I should be –cough- here."

Jack put his hand to Liz's forehead. "How high's the fever?"

"101.6."

"You're going to Ealing."

"What, why?"

"I've got a friend there and since you're so insistent on _not_ taking care of yourself, I'm going to get someone to do it for you. You'll be on the next train out of Cardiff."

"Public transportation isn't the best idea for a sick person."

"I'll flash the Torchwood code, happy?"

"Not really," Liz scowled as Jack left the room. He noticed the syringe that slipped out of the medic's lab jacket but he didn't question it. He dialed the number to Ealing and told a friend he'd be sending someone open.

The first thing the woman at the other end declared when she heard Jack's voice was, "You're came back!"

"Yeah," Jack answered shortly. "Listen, I've got an employee who's going over. She's a bit sick. 16 years old, medic." He quickly explained the rest of his intentions.

"16 years? Isn't that a bit young?"

"It's a long story. I'm sure she'll explain later. Gwen found her."

"Alright then. But I can't promise that nothing's going to come up when she's here."

Liz boarded the train and rode hours into England. When she got to the Ealing train station, there was a middle-aged woman waiting for her. "You must be Elizabeth," the woman smiled. Liz nodded. "I'm Sarah-Jane Smith. Jack told me to take care of you."

"I don't need to be taken care of. I'm a doctor. I don't have a fever anymore."

"You do look fine. Stay here for a while. We might need some help rounding up aliens in these parts."

"The Graske don't like you," Liz answered as she walked with Sarah-Jane out of the train station. "We met up with them in Cardiff once."

"I'm sure they don't."

* * *

"Would you stop it?" Rani cried. She slapped Clyde on the arm. "I'm trying to study."

"I don't see why we still have to do homework," the boy complained. He stopped tapping his pencil. It was a noise that the girl was starting to find very irritating.

"Well it's not like we can go up and tell the schools, 'Hello. We've been fighting aliens all night. Is it alright that we stop doing our studies?'" Luke replied.

"I'm sure Rani's dad wouldn't complain." The other two simply stared at Clyde. "What?"

"So…" Rani continued, changing the subject. "Who's that person your mom was going to pick up?"

"I don't know. She didn't talk much about it. She's from Cardiff though, but she's American."

"But she was to stay with you and Sarah-Jane?"

"What about Mr. Smith? And K-9 and all the alien stuff?" Clyde added.

"Doesn't matter. She's from Torchwood."

Clyde laughed. "Like that bit alien fighting secret organization?"

"It's not secret if _you_ know about it," Rani rolled her eyes.

"Is that an insult?"

The door opened and Sarah's voice could be heard. "Your room is upstairs. Take a right. Two doors on the left."

"Thanks," came the soft reply as a girl hurried through the door and up the stairs.

Sarah-Jane came into the living room where the three others were studying.

"Is that who's staying at our house mum?" Luke asked.

"Yes. And you need to treat her well. But I guess it doesn't matter anyway. She could probably pin you to a wall before you could react."

"And _she's_ Torchwood?" Clyde asked. "She's what? Fifteen?"

"I'm sixteen," a voice from the stairs retorted. The new girl came down the stairs. "I'm the Torchwood medic."

"You're a doctor!" Rani exclaimed.

"Something like that."

"Everyone," Sarah-Jane said, "This is Elizabeth Huang."

"Liz," the medic interjected.

"Liz, this is Rani, Clyde and my son, Luke."

"Of whom you will be stuck with for how long?" Clyde inquired.

"Clyde!" Sarah scolded.

"Just wanted to know!"

"I don't know," Liz replied. "Until Gwen can stop being so stubborn." Her eyes clouded over with some invisible disappointment that everyone noticed for a split second. "Anyway." Liz clapped her hands together. "I got some strange readings. Is there a _computer_ in the attic?"

"You brought tech from Torchwood?" Luke asked. He was itching to take it apart and put it back together again.

"No Luke," his mother warned him, as if she could read his mind. She motioned to Liz. "I'll show you Mr. Smith." The three others headed up to the attic with Sarah and Liz. "I need you Mr. Smith!"

Immediately, the would-be fireplace unfolded into a control panel and a large screen. "That, is brilliant!" Liz's face lit up in excitement as she touched the console.

"Sarah-Jane," the computer asked. "Who is the new one?"

"Liz. She is from Torchwood. She'll be staying for a while."

"It's not a computer! It's an alien!" In Liz's hands, she held a small Palm-Pilot sized device.

"What's that?" Clyde asked.

"It's a scanner. Usually it's just for Rift readings. Still got to do my job even if I'm miles away."

"Miles?"

"Kilometers. Sorry. I'm still American."

"How do you work at Torchwood?" Rani asked. "I mean, you're about the same age as the rest of us. You still have school."

"Haven't been to school since I was fourteen," Liz explained. "Except for a few days ago, but that was undercover."

"You don't go to school?"

"I know everything I need to know and more. I know that Weevil blood and salt is like sodium and water. I know that the human brain has the potential to power a car. I know that all the buzzing going on in the dendrites and axons creates a small field of energy around you and if one is evolved enough, they can harness that energy. That or, be born on top of the Rift, that being me. I also know that the Shadow Proclamation is watching Earth's every step because of Britain's mistake two years ago and that because of that Jack's never going to drink another cup of coffee again."

"Jack?" Clyde asked.

"My immortal boss who insisted I come here."

"Why?"

"Because I was sick and refused to take care of myself."

"How do your parents-" Rani was cut off.

"Don't have any anymore. Doesn't matter. I'm just a little runaway and-" Liz had been messing around with the controls of Mr. Smith when she accidently pulled up the telephone records. She was scrolling through the network when she came across a telephone number. "Jack's Doctor?" she asked, upon seeing the number dialed to save the world from the Dalek invasion.

"You know the Doctor?" inquired Rani. Her voice was more excited.

"Jack talked about him, barely. Apparently they traveled for a while."

"We met him once," Clyde remarked. "Sarah-Jane used to travel with him too."

"A long time ago," Sarah added, trying to remove herself from the spotlight.

What Liz said next instantly darkened the mood. "He doesn't like talking about him. Every time the words TARDIS, Doctor, or time travel is said, he gets this look on his face. I got the rest of the story about Gwen. Makes sense though. Anyway, what's the computer for?"

"Does all the work for us, so we don't," Clyde laughed.

"_Most_ of the work," Rani corrected. "Except for the messy stuff."

"Still makes our jobs easier," Sarah-Jane said, motioning for Rani and Clyde to go downstairs. "Your parents are going to wonder where you are. It's getting late."

Liz glanced back up on the screen again and quickly memorized the Doctor's number.


	16. all the stars keep on falling around us,

**_full chapter title_: ALL THE STARS KEEP ON FALLING AROUND US, WE WERE ALMOST BROKEN****  
-from The World Is Ours Tonight by Gloriana**

**Gloriana is a country band. The song mentioned was part of the USA Winter Olympics CD, although the lyrics aren't that suitable for the Olympics.  
**

**Cliched chapter because I wrote it a long time ago when I was afraid Liz was being Mary-Sueish. Come to think of it, she is.

* * *

**

"So why did Jack send you to Ealing?" Sarah-Jane asked as she took up the dishes.

Liz shrugged. "Dunno. I only had a cough and a fever. Wasn't anything severe like alien warts." Sarah-Jane gave her a look as she set the plates in the sink. "Gwen had them. Long story, not a pretty one either." Liz passed over one of the pots to Sarah-Jane. It had held what remained of the chicken soup. "What's the Doctor like?"

Sarah looked up from the soap and water. "Why?"

"I'm just curious. Jack barely talks about him anymore. Gwen doesn't know much, but judging from her it was a big deal at one time. Here's this alien that we all expect to come and save the day, and I don't even know who he is."

"He's a Time Lord," Sarah said. "His planet's gone and he travels around with a companion every once in a while. TARDIS, stands for-"

"Time and relative dimension in space," Liz finished.

"Did Jack tell you that?"

"I just have a habit of finishing other people's sentences."

"As you so vaguely hinted in the attic."

Liz smiled. "But what does he do, what makes him so great?"

"I don't know," Sarah admitted with some degree of awe. "Never really thought about. Must be the things he shows you. After that, you're never the same. He goes around saving the world, and doesn't ask to be thanked."

"But sometimes he doesn't," Liz countered. They both knew she was referring to the alien incident two years ago.

"Sometimes he can't," defended the woman.

"Sometimes he looks at how we take care of the situation and turns away in shame," paraphrased the Torchwood operative. "Or so Gwen said two years ago." Sarah-Jane peered up from washing the oiled plates and met Elizabeth's serious eyes, wondering how a girl could think that.

Then again, she was probably right.

* * *

"Can you believe that?" Gwen asked as she and Lois walked down to the café together. It was after hours and Rhys was still working. The two had decided to grab a cuppa.

"You were a bit harsh on her," the former government employee pointed out as they entered the café.

"I don't want her to get hurt."

"Do you want Ianto back?"

"Of course!" Gwen exclaimed. They sat down and placed their orders before Gwen continued. "I don't want to get her hopes high. But what about you?"

"I don't know," Lois admitted. "I don't know Jack that well. I've only known him for a few months."

"Liz too."

"But they've got that mind connection thing."

"Bloody hell the difference!"

"But what if it does work?" propositioned Lois. "What if it works out?"

"Then that would be great! Awesome! Brilliant! It's not like a I want Jack to be sulking around forever."

"If she doesn't try, if _we_ don't try, then there's no way of ever knowing."

Their tea came and both sat in silence as they blew away the steam.

* * *

Liz was careful to sneak out of her bedroom surreptitiously and quietly. She slipped on a pair of jeans and a decent shirt before snitching her mobile and going out into the chilly English air. She dialed the phone number she'd memorized but all she received was phone static. She tried again, this time the dial tone sounded but no one picked up. Liz repeated the call many times and decided to try again tomorrow. The Time Lord was probably off somewhere saving the world.

When she crept back in, the living room lamp light turned on. Sarah-Jane sat there with an all knowing look on her face that made Liz feel she was in one of those Disney movies. "Why don't you explain to me what's going on?" So Liz did and by midday the next day, a Cloister Bell could be heard.

* * *

"That… That's the TARDIS!" Clyde declared. He pointed at the blue box in the middle of the street. Luke simply nodded.

"Is that the Doctor?" Rani asked, pointing. "He didn't look like that the last time we saw him."

"Must be regeneration," Luke replied. "Mum said something about that."

"Should we go say hi?" Clyde wondered out loud.

"No," came Sarah Jane Smith's strict opposition. All three children turned back to the Doctor's former companion. "He's not here for a visit. He's here to save someone."

"What about Liz?" Rani asked.

"She needs to know if what she's doing is right."

* * *

"Jack's friend. Torchwood," the Doctor simply stated. Any trace of this incarnation's fun, mad attitude vanished. Liz nodded in return. "Why did you call me?"

Liz took a deep breath to prepare herself. "I need to know," she whispered. "I need to know. Gwen, she says there's no point. That it won't work. The future's built on intentions isn't it? I _intend_ to carry on what I'm planning, but I can't do it without proof. I need to show them that it's possible."

"Possible what?" But the Doctor fully knew what. He just needed to hear it. Just needed to know if this girl was as strong as he thought she was.

"That Jack can be happy."

"I don't think that's it."

"Please. I need to know. Am I making a mistake, or am I doing something right?" Still, the Doctor eyed her expectantly. Finally, the teenager gave in. "I need to know if I can give the immortal his miracle."

The Doctor nodded contently. "Amy," he called. A young woman clambered from the back of the TARDIS.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"If you don't mind, stay with Sarah a bit and the kids. I'll be back before you know it."

Amy Pond didn't dare to contradict as she stepped out of the time ship. She flashed a reassuring smile at Liz. "I hope you find what you're looking for," she said.

Liz smiled back. "Thank you."

As Amy disappeared inside the house, the Doctor asked, "Ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

* * *

The Doctor explained the details to her as the TARDIS settled down at its destination. He led her out the door and gestured for her to walk with him. The room was dark and desolated, reeking of death. "The year is about forty or so years into the year five billion. Planet: New Earth, colonized by humans after the sun expanded. The over-city has been completely destroyed and the people in the under-city are desperate to get out. They will… in time."

"But what does this have to do with-" Liz was cut off by the Doctor.

"Two people hide themselves in the over-city, trying to salvage and preserve what is left of the human race. One of them is a Catkind called Novice Hame. She doesn't know who I am. Not with this face at least. You can't tell her. The other is… Well, I'm sure you can guess," the Doctor trailed off as they turned the corner.

Liz caught sight of the figure in the back of the room. Her eyes flew wide as she gasped, "Jack." Without a moment's hesitation, and completely oblivious to Novice Hame, she sprinted up to the jar and flung herself at the glass. Tears started to spring up in her eyes. "Jack…" Now that was a name the Face of Boe hadn't been called in a long time.

Novice Hame was startled at how fast it all happened. Who was this girl? And the man? How did they get to the surface? The Face of Boe reassured her that the two guests were friends. Travelers. Passersby. The Doctor led Novice Hame away, leaving Liz along with the head in the jar.

The tears were flowing silently down Liz's cheeks now. "Did I do it?" she asked. "Did it come out right?"

_I'm not supposed to say,_ the Face –no _Jack_- answered. _It's against the rules._

"Since when were you the one to follow the rules?" Liz snickered. There was a period of silence before Liz whispered, "Jack… Five billion years. How could you…?"

_Someone taught me the final stage of grief. If you're going to ask about how you die, you know that-_

_I know_, Liz spoke with her mind. "I'd never ask something like that. But… just answer me one question please… Were you ever happy? In the 21st century? After 2011. Did you ever love again? Did your heart fully heal?"

_That's four questions_, Jack pointed out.

Liz laughed again. "You never change." She drew back to study the Face of Boe that she knew as Captain Jack Harkness. "Damn. You're past self would get a kick out of this." The girl eyed the machinery wired up to the massive glass jar. "You're dying," she stated flatly. "But you can't die."

_It's better this way. I've seen so much, Liz. Now there's a name I haven't said in a while. Liz… So much out there. Pain, glory, triumph, death and life. Before, I would have just thought this was unfair. That _I_ lived on while everyone just disappeared. But maybe, time had its reasons. I've saved so many people and species, despite… despite the times when I couldn't. Death isn't dark. I'll see all of you again. You're there right now actually, if you just forget about the complications of timelines._ The Face of Boe was sounding less and less like a wise being and more like Jack Harkness.

"How long do you want me to stay?" Liz asked. "I could keep you company for a while. I'm sure the Doctor wouldn't mind."

_Just sit,_ Jack replied. _Let me know there's hope for me like the old days._

"There's always hope," Liz told him. "Always."

_You, Lois and Gwen. All hearts of Torchwood. You're all that kept me together. Knowing I still had people I needed to protect, that I still had a duty._

"Did you love after… after," Liz tried to bring herself to say the name. "After Ianto?"

_Of course I did. In a different way. I love the universe and its wonders. I loved Lois, Gwen and you. I loved Tosh and Owen. Stephen, Rose, Donna, Martha. I love the Doctor. But all in a family sort of way, like Alice. I cared for them all. Ianto was different and he was special. But I've loved and I love now. Novice Hame is very loyal, very caring. Almost reminds me of Gwen._

Liz turned around again to gaze at the Face. She'd been leaning on the glass this whole time. A_lways the one for the philosophy_, she sighed mentally.

_You know me._

_Unfortunately or fortunately._

Just then the Doctor came back in. Liz looked back and he nodded, signaling that it was time to go. Liz studied the Face of Boe intently, taking in the wrinkles and the eyes. The same eyes. _Did I answer your question?_ Jack inquired.

Liz stood up, her fingers lingering on the glass just a little while longer. _Yes_, she responded. _And so much more. Glad to know I'm not forgotten._

_Never. I'd never forget any of you._

With that, Liz left with the Doctor, not tearing her eyes from Jack until she turned the corner. As the TARDIS landed in front of Sarah Jane's house three days after the time of its initial departure, Clyde and Rani ran up to the windowsill. Liz stepped out slowly, her right hand covering her mouth. Her cheeks glistened in the sunlight. Immediately, the grins on Sarah's companions faded away. Liz leaned against the brick wall and fell down, defeated with tears flooding down her face.

The Doctor reached out and placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. Then, he motioned for Amy to join him. Soon, the TARDIS dematerialized and Liz was left with an extremely clear decision.

* * *

**More of the Doctor and Amy to come! It's a little hard to find the Doctor's voice since I've only got one episode to go by.**

**David Tennant forever~  
**


	17. days keep coming without fail, a new

**_full chapter title_: DAY KEEP COMING WITHOUT FAIL; A NEW WIND IS GOING TO FIND YOUR SAIL  
****-from Please Remember Me as sung by John Barrowman**

**I'm finished writing this arc! As a result, I'll be uploading four chapters today. Mind you, some are shorter than usual. We'll see.**

* * *

Liz stayed for two more days in Ealing. She refused to eat. She refused to speak unless spoken to or when it was absolutely necessary. She spent the whole two days lying on her bed as good as dead. When she boarded the train back the Cardiff, her eyes were far away. Her goodbyes were hollow. Her smiles here forced and fake.

Soon after, Liz was back at the Hub. Her demeanor had changed drastically. She was more reserved and quiet. She stole glances at her boss, thinking back to the future. Jack asked if she was still sick but Liz shook her head. It was late one afternoon when the sun was setting and Jack was arguing with the PM when Gwen and Lois finally confronted the teen.

Liz was out on the docks. Her legs dangled over the side as the horizon flashed brilliant colors. How long had it been since the Face of Boe had seen a sunset? Footsteps neared as Gwen and Lois sat down to her left.

"I'm doing it," Liz said with finality.

"Liz," Gwen began.

"I wasn't sick. The two of you could figure that much out right?" Liz asked. "I injected myself with a virus and the antidote at the same time. The cure kicked in right as I boarded the train. It was perfectly fine after three hours."

"Why did you leave?" Gwen asked.

"I needed to meet someone."

"Who?"

"An old friend of Jack's. I'm doing it."

Gwen cast a worried glance at Lois. The black woman merely shrugged. "We've been over this…" Gwen murmured.

"I saw him," Liz interrupted. "The Doctor took me to see him. In the future. I saw Jack." The other two Torchwood agents just gaped at her. "The only think I'm going to tell you is that it was heartbreaking. He was so alone. I can't even think about it without crying." Liz wiped away the stray tear. "I needed to know," she explained. "I needed to know if what I was doing was just a waste of time or not. He told me what I needed to know."

Liz stood up and continued. "And I'm going to do it no matter what you say. I don't care if you disagree. I don't care if you don't want to help me. All I care about is that you don't get in my way. Is that clear?" With that, Liz walked away from the docks. She wiped her tears and reentered the Hub.

The first thing they needed was some kind of permission from Alice Carter and to tell Ianto's family. It's not like either party wouldn't faint if a son or brother went around walking again after they died.

Liz had insisted that the whole ordeal be kept secret from Jack. She wanted the finished product to be big, something Jack would most definitely remember. Liz already had everything planned out, like a small calendar stored away in a PDA. She knew the time, place and how she would bring Ianto back and when Jack would find out. It was all simple: the wedding.

The Chula Warship would be easy enough to hide. It had already generated an invisible shield around itself. In addition, it was out in the middle of nowhere. No one would notice. They're first stop was the Davies house. Gwen and Liz took a mission Lois invented as an excuse to get out of the Hub and be missing for a while. The mission was just a simple reconnaissance of people who'd been given Retcon. It was standard procedure ever since the Suzie incident. Lois stayed behind to keep an eye on Jack.

Wedding. One day. That's all Rhiannon-Jones Davies forced herself to think about. Not about the fact that the person getting married was Alice Carter. Not the fact that she was Jack Harkness's daughter. And certainly not the fact that Jack Harkness was her dead brother's lover. None of that.

Just the fact that it was a wedding. And it should be happy. Joyful. Splendid.

All thoughts of shutting out the negativity quickly fled as she opened the front door to the sound of the doorbell. Torchwood. Bloody Torchwood. It was Gwen and Liz.

"We need to talk," Gwen said. Her voice contained a note of finality. Whatever it was, it couldn't wait. "Johnny too. And you better gather Mica and David as well."

"You're one day away from a wedding and Torchwood can't wait to ruin something," Johnny complained with his Welsh accent. "The hell is with that?"

"Johnny!" Rhi hissed. "The kids!" David merely grinned at his father's profane language.

Johnny Davies did not have a particular liking to Torchwood. In fact, he hated it. The organization, not the people. The people were nice… when they acted human. But the organization. The organization had torn the bloody world apart. Torn his sister apart. He remembered the week after Jack left to travel the universe. Gwen had come to visit the Davies family, giving them Ianto's belongings.

Rhiannon had cried and cried. Johnny finally couldn't take it anymore and snapped at the Torchwood agent. His two children had quietly led him out of the house to cool off with a stroll around the neighborhood.

Gwen had put her arms comfortingly around Ianto's sister. Rhi kept saying it was unfair, that it should have been someone else. When the woman asked about Jack, Gwen was forced to explain the captain's immortality. That only made Rhi even angrier. "Well why didn't he stop Ianto?!" she had demanded. "He knew that he might die! Why didn't your bloody Captain Jack Harkness do something about it?!" Her voice could have toppled the roof if she had yelled any louder.

Then Gwen was faced with the most difficult decision in her life. In her hand she held the disc for the CCTV footage of Floor 13. She was through with explaining how much Jack and Ianto cared for each other. How much Ianto would give to fight by his lover. Rhiannon hadn't believed any of that. "Bullshit," she had muttered.

Gwen had then tried to explain that Rhi wasn't the only one affected by Jack. She told her about the night, on top of a hill in Cardiff. The sky was beautiful that night. The city lights shone like the stars. And there he was, just standing there. The only thing that destroyed the peaceful scene. Gwen recalled how she had seen Jack so vulnerable, so dead to the world, that if she'd shot him right there, he was sure to stay dead. She told her about the unshed tears in Jack's eyes and Gwen's desperate pleas.

It wasn't his fault.

It wasn't.

Pulling out Rhiannon's laptop, Gwen had inserted the DVD and braced herself. She took hold of Rhiannon's hand, telling her that she wasn't alone. Slowly, the video loaded and immediately the screen was replaced with two men standing side by side in a room.

Bullets loudly ricocheted off the glass of the containment room built by Decker. Panicked, the image of Jack quickly grasped Ianto's shoulders. There was a brief exchange of words, too soft for the camera to pick up.

Then an ominous voice boomed, _you said you would fight._

_And I take it back alright?_ Jack had shouted. _I take it back. But not him!_

That one line had hurt Rhiannon's heart more than anything. _Not him!_ The voice of complete agony and helplessness. Even when his brother collapsed in the next frame, her mind still lingered on the captain's words. She tried not to tear up but found her left hand squeezing Gwen's. Her right hand clutched the table forcefully until her knuckles were white.

The rest of the dialogue between mortal and immortal were barely picked up by the camera in the room. However, Rhiannon was sure to see the three words that Ianto had mouthed.

_I love you_.

_Don't…_ Jack had cried, holding his dying lover in his arms. Rhiannon Jones-Davies could barely make out the final scene as misty tears clouded her eyes. She was positive that she saw Jack lean down and touch his lips to Ianto's as he too succumbed to the virus, full knowing that his heart had been shattered beyond repair.

Thinking back to that time when they were all mourning, Johnny's hand clenched into a well-formed fist.

"I hope you're not going to punch anyone," Liz said, eyeing the fist.

Gwen noted how much the children had grown since the incident with the 456 two years ago. Mica was now a very orderly girl of eight years and David was now eleven, and finally taking his grades seriously. Torchwood had touched them.

It wasn't age. If it was, they would still be carefree. But Torchwood… Having known their uncle died to save the world and to keep them safe, they couldn't turn their back on the world. They knew things that children their age shouldn't have to know. They understood things and comprehended things that a normal adult would have trouble grasping.

They understood Torchwood from the inside out, quite a feat for an eight and eleven year old.

"And what is it this time?" Johnny demanded in a bitter tone. He unclenched his fist.

Liz looked at Gwen who just shrugged, as if she had no control of the situation. Sighing at the Welshwoman's previous indecision to aide her, Liz pulled her MacBook out of her bag. It came fully equipped with Torchwood software, databases and archives. After a click here and there, she pulled up the analyzer for the Rift. "Something fell through the Rift one week ago," Liz started to explain. "Or rather, purposefully pushed through it. It's a ship."

That part was obvious from the image generated by the software.

"A Chula warship," Liz clarified for them.

"And so…" Rhi prompted.

"It's from the 51st century," she went on to say. "Now look at this." She pulled up the readings of energy coming from inside the ship.

"What is it?" David asked, obviously amazed.

"Nanogenes," the Torchwood medic replied. "Sub-atomic robots that heal any kind of cuts, bruises, internal bleeding etcetera." She closed the laptop and but in back in her case. "In some cases," she continued, "if the damage isn't too severe, it can cure death."

Liz watched the Davies family grow wide-eyed. "You know where I'm going with this?" she asked, waiting for a reaction. When there was none, she added, "When Gwen froze Ianto's body, the virus was still inside of his bloodstream. But that was it. I know someone who can provide us with an anti-virus. We inject that. Obviously, his vitals would have been at zero. That's where the nanogenes come in. Replenishes and strengthens any damaged or deteriorating tissue. And…" Liz trailed off, hoping Ianto's family got the message.

"And you're telling us this because…?" Johnny asked, quite speechless himself. "Consent? Does your boss even know that you're doing this?"

"No," Gwen cut in. "I _told_ her no. Because there's no guarantee that it will work."

"It did work," Liz said, switching to a sudden past tense. "I know it did."

"Did?" Gwen questioned.

"I told you I got the answers I needed," Liz pointed out.

"So Uncle Jack doesn't know?" Mica piped up. "It's like a surprise?"

Liz nodded her head. "Tomorrow at Ms. Carter's wedding, we're going to let your uncle surprise Jack. You like surprises?" she smiled. Mica grinned happily.

"Thank you," Rhiannon choked out.

"No thanks needed," Liz said. "It's not a favor or something like that. It's just what should have been done a long time ago."

Johnny and his wife walked the two Torchwood operatives to the front door. It was then when Johnny realized what had been nagging him. "What about Alice?" he suddenly inquired. "What about her son?"

Liz just simply smiled. "I have every intention of saving Steven. I'm always twenty steps ahead."

"Yes, but is she ready to forgive her father yet?"

"Of course she is," Liz assured. "They're family. She can't hate him forever even if she tried."

David let out a scream and Rhiannon quickly went to attend to it, leaving Johnny.

"Why are you doing this? Really?" Johnny pressed. "They'll just die again. We'll all die. Eventually he'll be alone. You're just trying to postpone his hurt. That's all."

Liz shook his head. "The thing is, Mr. Davies, what's tearing Jack apart isn't the fact that he's always left all alone. It's that he never gets the proper goodbye. He never gets the chance to have a normal life, a normal love. In case you didn't know, Jack killed himself repeatedly for one thousand years before returning to Earth."

With that, Liz turned slowly on her heel and headed back to the SUV.


	18. almost believing that this was not

**_full chapter title_: ALMOST BELIEVING THAT THIS WAS NOT PRETEND  
****-from So Close by Jon McLaughlin**

* * *

One day. Nothing had gone wrong yet. What was to prevent it from going wrong now? That was exactly what Alice Carter was thinking when she opened the front door. Torchwood. Bloody Torchwood."Well come in," she smiled. It was fake. Anyone could see that.

John peeked from out of the kitchen. "Gwen Cooper and Elizabeth! It's been a while!" he greeted cheerily.

Both operatives nodded and smiled in return.

"I presume this is about…" Alice trailed off.

"Actually, I think you might like the news we're going to give you," Liz said.

"Oh really?" Alice countered. She didn't mean to sound so bitter to them in front of her fiancée.

"Yep." The last consonant popped with an echo throughout the kitchen. "We've found a way to get your little boy back."

Alice was utterly surprised. Genuinely. Honestly. She was expecting something about her dad. Something along the lines of, "Jack left and he's not coming back."

"Serious…" she gaped. Liz nodded in return.

"What is this about?" John asked.

"We're Torchwood," Gwen explained.

"Torchwood. Right. And I'm the bloody Stig."

"No seriously," Liz said. "We're Torchwood."

"They're Torchwood," Alice confirmed, hand on her forehead.

"Bloody hell!"

"And Stephen?" Alice inquired softly.

John knew about Stephen. Alice hadn't talked about him much. Just the circumstances of his death. 456 incident. The aliens' fault.

"We found a Chula warship. Nanogenes," Liz explained.

Alice nodded. She'd heard of those before. They came in her father's wild tales of the Doctor. Alice never really believed in the Doctor until Gwen came knocking on her door after September of 2009.

"We just need your consent," Gwen said.

"To do what?" Alice inquired, ignoring John's tapping on her shoulder.

"To remove Stephen's body from his grave. The Doctor said he'd help us out. If he can get Stephen, the damage won't be as severe and we can still revive him."

"You need my consent," Alice simply stated. "You're Torchwood and you need my consent to remove a body."

_Of your son_, Liz thought inwardly.

"And I presume… Jack," Alice said. The name sounded foreign to her tongue. She rarely ever called her father by his name. It wasn't even his real name to begin with. "Knows about this."

"We're hoping you can keep a secret. We, being the operative word."

"We being…?"

"Rhi's family, Lois, Mickey, Martha, us, the Doctor, Ianto…"

"Wait. Ianto…" Alice interrupted. "Ianto Jones? Torchwood agent Ianto Jones?"

"Yeah." Liz nodded stiffly.

"Bloody hell, what are you-"

"Excuse me!" John shouted. Alice flinched as Gwen and Liz just stared. "I wouldn't mind someone explaining to me what this all about. You're Alice's friends. OK, I get that. You've visited for the past two years or so. Tea and biscuits. But _suddenly_, you pop up _one_ day before our wedding and tell us that you're _Torchwood_. You start talking absolute gibberish about nanogenes –whatever that is- and some doctor. So pray, tell me, what kind of pre-marriage joke are you pulling?"

"It's not a joke," Liz answered.

"And who is this _Jack _bloke?" demanded the husband-to-be.

At once, the kitchen fell deadly silent. Liz's eyes flickered to Gwen who gave the subtlest shrug of indifference. Then, they darted over to Alice as they dared the woman to explain.

"He's my father," admitted the woman quietly.

John scrunched up his face in confusion. "You said your father was dead. Passed away. Two years ago."

"That's when he left Cardiff," Gwen corrected. "As good as dead."

"Traveled the universe," Liz added.

"And what does he look like? Have I actually met him?"

Gwen and Liz each glanced at each other before diverting their gaze back to John Smith. They said nothing, letting Alice take control of the conversation. "Yes…" the immortal's daughter murmured. "He was my 'brother.'" Her tone of voice added in the air quotes.

"Your brother?!" John exclaimed, thinking back to six months ago. "That bloke? World War II coat? The one who came at midnight? But… but he looks as old as you!"

"He can't die," Liz enlightened. "Or rather, he can't die for another 5 billion years."

"Dad dies?" Alice asked feebly. Liz nodded.

"So he's…" John searched for the correct word. "…Immortal?"

"Basically," sighed Gwen.

"So let me get this straight. You're Torchwood, yeah? You have these nanogenes and you can bring Alice's son back. You're boss just happens to be an immortal man who just so happens to be Alice's father. And he ran away, but now he's back? And why would that be?"

"456."

"Is that some sort of code?"

"No. 4.5.6. 456. Aliens. Two years ago. Children."

"And…" the Welshman prompted.

Liz could not stand the oblivious ones who were so thick-headed. She was almost losing her patience and just wanted to get on with her plan before Jack found out. Biting back her irritation, she began to explain. "Jack lost his lover negotiating with the 456 ambassador. Then he sacrificed his grandson to destroy the 456. Alice disowned him, or as good as, and Jack couldn't live with himself anymore. He left. Six months later, he returned to Cardiff and left again to run across the universe. It's been two years for us since he's left. It's been one thousand years for him. We're…" Gwen gave Liz a stare and the girl immediately corrected herself. "_I'm_ trying to give him his miracle."

"OK… Say I believe you," John nodded. "Why are you doing this?"

"The psychological, ethical or scientific version?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Try putting yourself in his position," Liz replied simply, slamming her hands on the table.

"Scientific?" John prompted timidly. He had the feeling that someone was about to shoot something out of frustration.

Liz picked out a napkin from the napkin holder and pulled out her switchblade. "A fixed point in time," she stated, piercing the paper lightly with the knife. "That's what Jack. That's why whenever he dies he just keeps coming back. The napkin is the universe."

"Napkin?" John questioned.

"Serviette," Liz corrected with a small roll of her eyes. "I'm American. Deal with it." John nodded dumbly as a way of the girl to continue. As an answer, Liz ran the blade through the napkin and held it up for all to see. "Fixed point in time tearing the world apart. It basically means he's a danger if loses it."

"Alright…" John began. "But would he just lose everyone all over again?"

"You are really, really frustrating. Did you know that?"

"Pardon me. This is all a bit new."

"We came here for permission. Alice can explain everything else to you."

"Right right right…" John muttered. His eyes were far away as he tried to make sense of it all. He didn't even notice Alice usher the two Torchwood employees out of the kitchen and to the front door.

Just as Gwen and Elizabeth were about to leave, Alice spoke up. "About my dad…" she trailed off. "Is he's alright?"

"Better than six months ago," Gwen replied tenderly.

"If you don't think…" the woman began. "If you don't think it's too much, could you maybe ask him to come to the wedding? I want him to give me away."

Gwen exchanged a glance with Liz and turned back saying, "Yeah."

"And you have my permission."


	19. and if you should fall, remember you

**_full chapter title_: AND IF YOU SHOULD FALL, REMEMBER YOU ALMOST HAD IT ALL  
****-from Don't Cry Out Loud as sung by John Barrowman**

**I allude to Chris E. in the beginning. He played the Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who. He was also the first Doctor that Jack knew.**

* * *

Jack Harkness walked out of his office and surveyed the Hub. Lois was at her computer, compiling that list for UNIT. She had just taken up the thermos bottle full of tea and drank some of the contents. "Where's Gwen and Liz?"

"Still out I guess," Lois said. Just then, the cog wheel rolled open. "Or back."

"Can you _believe_ that one guy thought we were film agents?" Gwen was laughing. "'Am I going to be like Christopher Eccleston?'" she mimicked.

"At least the Retcon didn't do anything," Liz pointed out.

"You two seem to be in a good mood," commented Jack.

"Well when you've got Retcon duty," Liz started.

Gwen finished, "You tend to meet some interesting people."

"Still. There wouldn't be any more Suzie attacks. The three of you worry too much."

"I could say the same for you," the Welshwoman remarked. There was an uncomfortable silence in which no one knew what to say until Gwen blurted out, "I went to see Alice."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Now-"

"I know, I know. You don't want to go to the wedding. I understand. She just… told me to tell you that she wanted you to walk her down the aisle."

"I've already done that once," Jack pointed out steely.

"She looked sad," Liz added.

"I appreciate the fact that all of you are trying to make me feel better, but I'm _not_ going to the wedding." Jack turned to go back to his office.

Gwen looked over at Liz who pretended to be absorbed in the Retcon databases, logging in mental capacity and health standards. She looked over at Lois with an _I-told-you-so_ look. Lois just shrugged and spoke with her eyes: _it'll-work-out_.

* * *

"How exactly will it work out?" demanded Gwen once Lois, Rhys and her were in her flat.

"It just will. I mean, Liz was convinced."

"Yes, but how Lois. How?"

"We talking about Jack again?" Rhys asked, putting the kettle on.

"Not now Rhys," Gwen told her husband.

"What is it this time?"

"Nothing."

Gwen's stubbornness prompted Lois to explain. "Liz thinks she's found away to bring Ianto and Stephen back."

"Well that's bloody fantastic isn't it?" question Rhys.

"_Thinks_," Gwen pointed out.

"Well if she doesn't give it a shot she's not going to know."

"Jack's dead set on _not_ going to the wedding Rhys."

"So we knock him out, maybe shoot him a bit and drag him to the chapel."

"Rhys!" Gwen snapped. "He had a suicide addiction. Don't get him hooked again."

"You make it bloody sound like he's on weed Gwen."

"I've just had enough of this Torchwood drama. That's all."

"We all have," Lois said. "Ever since the 456 came, the world's been on red alert just constantly, fidgeting in their seats. Jack says the Shadow Proclamation, whatever that is, is watching. We've all had enough Gwen."

"Just give the captain what he wants darling," Rhys sighed. "Get this over with."

"Yah…" Gwen muttered. "We all wish it was so easy.

* * *

Jack tossed and turned in his underground bunker. He'd stayed there more often since the Cardiff Prep assignment. The manhole held many memories in him. Some sleepless nights, he hoped that the air was thick enough with them that they would consume and suffocate him.

He heard the vague sound of the Hub entrance. Getting up and putting on some pants and an undershirt, he climbed out of his bunker. He saw through the glass window that it was Liz. "What are doing back here?"

"Left my phone," she replied, holding up the Blackberry smartphone. "I'm heading over to Gwen's. Coming?"

"Work to do."

"Right then." Liz was halfway to the door when she turned around asked, "Don't mean to probe, but you're not going to the wedding?"

"Sorry. I know you all want me to, I know Alice wants me to, but I can't."

"Alright." Liz's shoulders drooped. "The wedding's even a bigger deal know. You miss the wedding, you'll miss out on a lot." With that, she walked out of the Hub.

* * *

Liz knocked on the door of the William's residence. Rhys opened the door and smiled. "Ah, the girl of the hour. We've all been talking about you."

"I dread to think."

"Did you talk to him?" Lois asked.

"Vaguely."

"Lizzy!" Jack Williams shrieked.

"Hey! Have you been good?" The little boy giggled.

"What did he say?" Gwen inquired.

"I just left him with some inquisitive words. He'll come."

"Sure?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow I'll call the Doctor and-"

"You have his number?"

"Sarah-Jane Smith? The woman Jack sent me to? She used to travel with him too. So we call him up and we could probably get it all done by evening. We have the day off tomorrow for the wedding anyway. It's the perfect excuse. Besides, if we don't show up on time, Alice would know what we're up to."

"Sure it's going to work?" Gwen pressed.

"Positive. 99.99%."

"The other hundredth of a percent?"

"If Jack faints."

The comment, although a bit dark, was hopeful. Everyone burst out into a contagious laughter. Meanwhile, Jack lay in bed, wishing for the first time in six months that it would all end.


	20. wasn't it good, wasn't if fine, isn't it

**_full chapter title_: WASN'T IT GOOD? WASN'T IT FINE? ISN'T IT MADNESS HE CAN'T BE MINE?****  
-from I Know Him So Well as sung by John Barrowman**

* * *

Jack woke up alone in the empty Hub. He almost expected to roll over and hit another body. Instead, there was nothing but the covers that had escaped him during the night. Climbing out of his bunker, he discovered the Hub was still dark. _Of course_, Jack thought. _They're all at the wedding. It's just me and the dammed Rift today._

Sighing, Jack switched on the lights and moved over to his desk where he'd thrown his coat last night. The picture on his desk caught his eye again. He had it there ever since he came back. It was a photograph from the old times, back when Tosh and even Owen was alive –after he came back from the Doctor, after he met Martha.

It was one of those days where the Rift was so unusually quiet that they had all decided to take the risk and sneak out to a nearby coffee shop. Tosh had her camera with her and asked one of the waitresses to snap a picture. Owen was trying to put on his best face of annoyance, although he was truly happy underneath. Tosh was next to him, teasing him. Gwen and Ianto were laughing after Jack's latest tale of his alien adventures. He also had his head thrown back in laughter, revealing the smallest of hickeys on his neck.

Jack smiled at the memory. Tosh had made five prints afterwards, one for each of the team. But that was all it was now, a print and a memory. Frozen in time. Tosh, Owen and Ianto would ever just be frozen pixels behind a glass frame.

The immortal's train of thought flew back to the short conversation with the medic last night. Miss out on a lot? Was she trying to warn him? Hint something? Still, Jack was already dead set on not going.

* * *

Elizabeth waited anxiously. Her foot tapped against the grass. If the Doctor was a _Time_ Lord with a real and live _time_ ship, why couldn't he get to an appointment on _time_? She heard that noise again and her head shot up to the nearby forest. A blue police box slowly materialized and the Doctor stepped out.

"Hello!" the Time Lord called. Liz waved and watched as Amy Pond stumbled out as well. "A little chilly."

"We're out in the open. There're no trees save for that forest," Amy pointed out.

"Aren't you clever?"

Amy introduced herself and eyed the car over by the war. "That your wheels?"

"Yeah," Liz quipped.

"Nice."

"Not as good as the TARDIS though," the Doctor muttered. "Where are your other friends?"

"Gwen and Lois'll be where any second. They wanted to check in with Alice and John first."

"John who?" the Doctor eyed skeptically.

"John Smith."

"You sure he's not an alien?"

"Um…" Liz took a step back and the Doctor's gaze intensified. "Positive." She was saved from further explanation when Gwen's car pulled up. The two other Torchwood employees came out of the car.

"Hello!" the Doctor greeted cordially. "I'm the Doctor. You must be Gwen Cooper and Lois Habiba." He shook each of their hands as he said their names.

"You're not the Doctor," Gwen said slowly. "I've seen him before. The Daleks? A couple of years back. You were a lot different."

"Regeneration," explained the Time Lord. "New face, new me and fish custard! So!" The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Chula warship out in this big grassy field." He whipped out his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the TARDIS. "That invisibility cloak you were talking to me about Liz. It's a perception filter. No one can see through it unless you want to."

"What about the people who do see it?" Lois inquired.

"They'll think they've gone a bit cuckoo in the head. Now if you'll all just pile inside the TARDIS."

"Hold on," Gwen cut in. "What about Ianto's body?"

"All taken care of," the Doctor replied. "In the TARDIS now, quickly."

Gwen and Lois gazed in awe as they surveyed the interior. "It's bigger on the inside!" the both gaped.

"Heard that many times. Now hold on!" The TARDIS rematerialized itself inside the warship and they readied the controls. The Doctor brought Ianto's body out. He had snatched it using, as he so eloquently stated, "means of which would probably land a human in jail." No one wanted to know what that meant.

"He looks like he's sleeping," Gwen whispered. "Even when they laid him in the room at the House. He looked like he was sleeping, dreaming. Like he was going to wake up."

"Now he is," the Doctor said solemnly. He tossed the anti-virus into Liz. "You're the real doctor; it was your idea. You do it."

Liz took out a rubber strap and felt for the vein in Ianto's arm. It was harder now since there wasn't a pulse. Eventually, she strapped the rubber on a inserted the hypodermic. The contents flowed into Ianto's bloodstream.

"And a little bit of pixie dust," the Doctor joked. His sonic screwdriver activated the nanogenes. Everyone stepped back as the golden light, so much like the power of God, surrounded the body. The glow then left and Gwen cautiously approached her once-former colleague. Kneeling down, she took him in her arms and as if right on cue, Ianto's sharp gasp resounded in the Chula warship. A collective let-go of breath was heard.

The Welshman's first attempts at speech came out in small spurts of puffing air. He finally managed to utter, "When did you die Gwen?"

Gwen felt her eyes tear. "You're not dead Ianto," she answered, kissing his hair. "You're very _very_ much alive."

"Wedding. Jack." It was all coming back to him in short spurts. There was no time in death. It was an endless void of nothing, or at least where Ianto was. He followed Jack around, resulting in a mindset that he'd been dead for one thousand years or so. However, in this timeline, he was only gone a few years.

"You're going to be alright darling," Gwen whispered.

"I just realized something," Liz murmured. All pairs of eyes looked up at her. "It's September. 6th to be exact."

* * *

After a few hours, Jack couldn't take it anymore. The silence was deafening. No voices, no noise, no talking. Just the ghosts in his head. If he were any more crazy, he'd even say he could hear the drums in his head like an old enemy.

Instead, Jack fell into a state of auto-pilot. He robotically drew his Webley and shot himself.

He was met with nothing but darkness and utter despair.

* * *

They got Ianto dressed in a suit, a decent one. Three-piece, just the way he liked it. Then the Doctor started to explain everything to him. The Welshman would only nod and "mhm." He didn't care for all this "briefing." He just wanted to hold Jack Harkness and kiss him senseless, assure the immortal that he was alive and wouldn't be leaving for a long time.

As if reading his mind, the Doctor said, "Jack doesn't know. Obviously not, or else he wouldn't be so stubborn in coming to the wedding."

"He's coming," Liz assured. "Even if we have to drag him here."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Ianto asked. His voice was regaining its strength moment by moment.

"Surprise him, do something classy," offered Amy.

"Who else will be there?"

"Martha, Mickey, we'll be there. PC Andy, Agent Johnson. Alice and her groom of course. And some of John's friends," Lois listed.

"We brought Retcon," supplied Liz.

"What about my sister and her family?"

"They're safe and healthy," assured Gwen.

"Who told them about…?"

"I did."

"Do they all know?"

"Anyone who knows Jack is expecting you to walk through that door sometime of later," Liz said.

"So am I just suppo-" Ianto cut himself off as he felt a prick in the back of his mind.

"What's wrong?" the Doctor inquired.

"Jack." It was a small statement that instantly chilled the air. "He just shot himself."

* * *

Jack was in death alone. He also woke up alone. No last comforting words from his lover. And he was scared. Frightened to hell. There had to be some explanation. He tried phoning this team, but their phones were off. The last resort was to attend the wedding and find them there. It looked like he really was going to have to give his daughter away. He ran to the SUV, gracious that Gwen decided to take her own car.

In his haste to leave, he didn't even bother to check locker 15.

He even missed the TARDIS's Cloister Bell that echoed in the Torchwood morgue.

* * *

**I love how I promise four chapters and stop before a pivotal place. **


	21. i hope it's everything you dreamed your

**_full chapter title_: I HOPE IT'S EVERTYTHING YOU DREAMED YOUR LIFE COULD BE AND SO MUCH MORE****  
-from I Hope You Find It by Miley Cyrus**

**OK. I get that Miley is a horrible singer, but she didn't right these lyrics did she? No. Song chosen only based on lyrics, not person.**

**There are two more chapters until this arc "Always Home" is finished. There will be one more arc that concludes this fanfic.**

* * *

The Doctor explained the mental link that Ianto now had with Jack , a side effect from being caught in the limbo between life and death Jack often visited. Then he dropped the Torchwood agents off at the wedding site. It was the same one Gwen and Rhys had theirs at. In fact, Gwen had recommended it to Alice.

It was also just the Doctor's luck that he navigate the TARDIS right into the bride's room where Alice, John, Martha, Mickey and just about everyone else who knew of Jack and his said "condition," were chatting away. Martha sat up first at the sound of the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" she cried. Out stumbled the younger-looking Time Lord. "Regeneration?"

"I didn't want to go."

"Oh! Then when that Sontaran, you must have-"

"Hey boss," Mickey greeted. "Still up for the fist bump?"

"Oh, alright."

"_You're_ the Doctor?" Rhiannon asked.

"The one and only."

"Good bloody God! Where's my brother?" she demanded.

"Calm down!" Johnny soothed. Mica and David waited anxiously.

Amy, Lois, Gwen and Liz were staring to pile out when a man pushed past them. "Rhi?'

"Oh my God!" the woman breathed and tackled Ianto in a hug. She made a huge fuss over him that embarrassed Ianto like a little boy. Johnny finally pried his wife away from his brother-in-law and gave him a slap on the back. The kids crowded around their uncle.

John has his eyes all wide. He tried to absorb the scene he'd been warned of. "Where's my son?" a woman's voice asked. The Doctor looked over. "You're the Doctor he always talks about. Where's Stephen?"

"All in good time," the Doctor smiled. "You'll see him soon. I promise. Now if I could borrow Mr. Jones until the ceremony starts…"

"Why?" Rhi asked.

"Because Jack'll up here in a while. There's no place here to hide. And I need an extra pair of hands. Time Lords don't have extra limbs you know."

"It's alright," Ianto assured.

"Right then!" the Doctor exclaimed as Amy and Ianto went back in the time ship. He glanced at Alice again. "You're father's a good man. He just has to make the choices everyone else refuses to make."

When the Doctor laughed, Gwen deadpanned, "Liz. What about our cars? They're just sitting out there in the open."

There was silence and everybody laughed. The laughter was relief. It was almost done. _Almost._

* * *

The three Torchwood women changed into their dresses and shoes that had been brought earlier by Gwen and Lois. Lois tossed Liz her heavy clutcher and promised not to fuss about the hair. They all sat down in their places and waited for the ceremony to start. The music was about to start when a messenger came in telling the violins to stop. The door closed and Alice furrowed her brow. Was it her dad?

Sure enough, Jack came panting around the corner. "Got… here… in time," he gasped. Alice couldn't help but snicker a bit. Jack smiled at the fact her daughter didn't antagonize him outwardly. "Shall we?" the captain asked, holding his arm out.

Alice smiled and took her father's arm. The doors opened and the violins played again. When Jack sat down next to Liz she teased, "Knew you would come."

"Did you ever doubt it?"

"No."

Jack looked over questioningly. Then he saw her purse. It seemed a bit bulky. "Why's it heavy?" he asked.

"It's fine."

Alice and John were married and formalities were exchanged. Everyone had thought that Jack was Alice's father until they covered it up by saying they were brother and sister. The resemblance was close enough.

Music played and people danced. Jack was reminded painfully of his own experience dancing with Ianto in his arms. He was going to go and ask someone about his earlier death experienced but realized they were all dancing. He wondered if she should tell Liz but then noticed that she was suddenly on the stage, guitar in hand. The medic must have pressured Alice into letting her have a song in the dance.

It was then when Jack felt someone tie the blindfold around him. He tried to resist but in the end he felt the tickle of air against his neck and relented, letting the other person lead him to the dance floor.

_Take me where I've never been. Help me on my feet again. Show me that good things come to those who wait. Tell me I'm not on my own. Tell me I won't be alone. Tell me what I'm feeling isn't some mistake. Because if anyone can make me fall in love, you can._

You, in Jack's case, being Ianto. And yet here the captain was, letting a complete stranger lead him in a dance.

_Save me from myself, you can. And it's you and no one else. If I could wish upon tomorrow, tonight would never end. If you asked me, I would follow, but for now I'll just pretend. Because if anyone can make me fall in love, you can._

_Baby when you look at me, tell me, what do you see? Are these the eyes of someone you could love?_ (Eyes of terror, ones that have witnessed such horrors. Ones who have seen the crimes the beholder committed. A man who was guilty of felony.) _'Cause everything that brought me here, well now it all seems so clear. Baby you're the one I've been dreaming of. If anyone could make me fall in love, you can._

_Save me from myself, you can. And it's you and no one else. If I could wish upon tomorrow, tonight would never end. If you asked me, I would follow, but for now I'll just pretend. Because if anyone can make me fall in love…_

_Only you can take me, sailing in your deepest eyes, bring me to my knees and make me cry. And no one's ever done this. Everything was just a life and I know, yes I know._

_This is where it all begins, so tell me it'll never end. I can't fool myself; it's you and no one else. If I could wish upon tomorrow, tonight would never end. If you asked me, I would follow, but for now I'll just pretend. 'Cause if anyone can make me fall in love, you can._

_Show me that good things come to those who wait._

As the song started to end, Jack could feel his anonymous dance partner start to shift to a stop. The last arpeggio from the Liz's guitar was played and the immortal immediately felt lips crash into his.

And it felt wonderful.

_What am I doing?!_ Jack demanded to himself. _I can't! Not after Ianto! One thousand years and I haven't-_

Jack pulled away, muttering an apology and trying to undo the knot at the back of his head. What he got were two hands pulling at his and the kiss coming back again. This was wrong. Jack knew it. He shouldn't be kissing a complete stranger. In the end Jack gave into the kiss, only to find himself questioning the identity of the man.

Yes, man. It was definitely man, because the kiss felt familiar. All too familiar. There was only one person who ever kissed like that.

Jack broke away breathlessly and uttered the name before he even yanked off his blindfold. "Ianto…" The captain felt the arms around him again and sank into the embrace. It didn't matter that he couldn't see his lover, as long as he held him tight. I didn't matter that Jack didn't know how the hell he came back, as long as that breath tickled his ear. For all he cared, it didn't matter if this was just a dream, just as long as he could feel it now.

The gentle hands carefully undid the knot at the back of his head. The piece of black cloth fell to the floor, dampened with Jack's tears. "1000 years," Jack cried, caressing Ianto's face. He allowed himself to get lost in those beautiful eyes. Eyes that glimmered. Eyes that were _alive_. "1000 years."

"I know."

"I never forgot you."

"I know."

"I, love, you." Each word came out perfectly announced, as if they'd been practiced.

"I know," Ianto breathed and pulled Jack in for another much needed kiss. Jack's heart was racing wildly.

They could have stayed like that forever, but somewhere off to the side, Mickey coughed. Jack broke away and shot the young man a death glare. Mickey simply shrugged with a plastered apologetic smile.

"But how?" Jack asked, not letting go of Ianto. "I mean earlier, when I… died, no one was waiting for me and…"

"We… found a Chula warship," Liz explained guiltily from the low stage. "And we wiped the records of the Rift and did a bunch of stuff you'd probably kill us for."

"Nanogenes?" Jack stated.

"Yeah."

"That's why you had the cyro. To freeze the damage."

"Well no," Liz said. "Not really. Gwen didn't think of that."

"Then who did?"

The girl set her guitar down carefully on the stage and jumped off to her seat where her clutcher lay. "You'd asked why it was so heavy?" She waved her purse in the air and then unclasped the top to produce a walkie talkie. Pressing the button on the side, she said, "This is Torchwood. Torchwood to the TARDIS. Torchwood to TARDIS, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear," came the reply of a voice Jack had never heard before.

"Package secured?"

"Aye aye and delivering."

As soon as that last word was uttered, a wind whipped up in the reception hall. The tablecloths fluttered and would have flown off their tables if not for the centerpieces on top of them. The curtains danced wildly from their windows and everyone shielded their eyes. Everyone but Jack who stood there beaming like a little schoolboy.

The 100-watt grin was soon replaced by an open mouth as the TARDIS door opened. Out stepped a little blonde boy who looked seven years old. Trash that. He _was_ ten and it was another face Jack thought he'd never see again.

Jack looked back to his daughter who showed no signs of surprise. A glance at her new husband, Ianto's family, Martha, Mickey and the rest of his team made him raise his voice and ask, "Was I the only who didn't know about this?"

"What the hell is going on?" asked John's best man. Unlike Ianto, he did _not _look good in a suit.

"Granddad!" Steven cried, running up to his grandfather.

That one word caught Jack even more by surprise. It also sent murmurs through John's guests. "You're really her father!" someone exclaimed in utter surprise. Was that even possible? A few others threatened to faint.

"And we kind of had to explain to him," Gwen told Jack.

"The Doctor is so cool!" the young boy exclaimed. "He took me back to see World War II! And you were there with his blonde girl and this other bald guy." Oh, the Doctor was going to get a kick out of being called bald. "There were these weird mask people but the fireflies made them all better." Fireflies? He must have meant the nanogenes.

"Captain," came the curt greeting from the TARDIS doorway. There stood a man that Jack had never met, but _had_ met before.

"Regeneration," Jack nodded.

"And you're still wrong," the Doctor joked. Despite the meaning of the words, the immortal captain couldn't help but here the sense of tiny respect in the statement.

"I know," laughed Jack. "That was you? When I was… dying?" The captain held up the TARDIS key.

"Mhm," the Time Lord confirmed.

"So… you crossed your own timeline."

"There's no one around to be unhappy about that. I didn't mess with anything."

"What happened to paradoxes and timelines and ripping a whole in the very fabric of time?"

"I'm a different man Jack."

"And you crossed your timeline to show my grandson the biggest failure of my mortal life?"

"History lesson. Very helpful."

"I think that's alright…" Jack chuckled, ruffling his grandson's hair and urging him on to his mother. He wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist and listened to the breath escape from his mouth. "I think that's alright," he whispered and kissed Ianto in a fiery passion.

"Liz! I hope you brought the Retcon!"

* * *

**So there you go. I brought Ianto back to Jack!  
The song at the wedding is You Can by David Archuleta.**


	22. oh my love, if it's all i can do, i'll

**_full chapter title_: OH MY LOVE, IF IT'S ALL I CAN DO, I'LL TAKE THE FALL FOR YOU****  
-from All the Way (4U) by Poets of the Fall  


* * *

**

After Retconning half the party, and the newlyweds left for their honeymoon, the other half was left to clean-up. Liz drove herself back to her flat. Lois left along with Gwen and Rhys. The Doctor had arranged for their cars to be transported. Rhiannon wouldn't stop hugging and kissing her brother's cheek and her children all crowded around him.

Finally, after what seemed like centuries, they left and just two men stood there amongst the sedated people. They were halfway to the SUV when Jack looked over at Ianto and took in a deep breath. He stopped in the middle of his steps and said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Getting you…" Jack didn't want to say the final word. "…Killed."

"Jack-"

"I took you in there with my own pride and arrogance, thinking I could make up for what I did in 1965. Thinking that I could make it all better."

"And you did," Ianto told him. "You acted to the best of your ability."

"That's exactly the thing!" Jack cried. He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "I _acted_. I didn't think. I acted! I didn't stop to think what might happen if everything went wrong. I didn't stop to think what kind of danger I was putting you in. All I thought then was that I had to prove it to you. Prove to you that I'm not a monster for whatever I did in the past."

"Jack," Ianto began, circling his arms around the immortal's waist. "You're not a monster. I've never thought of you as a monster. Whenever I said it, I didn't mean it. You're just… hurt. Like I was, and you where there for me despite what I did." Ianto's stomach did a back flip as he thought about the gruesome images of Lisa in the Hub basement. "And I'm here for you now Jack."

"I know," Jack sighed, holding his Welshman close. "You're all I need."

* * *

They lay in bed together that night, just feeling each other's heartbeat. Ianto thought that Jack had fell asleep when the captain said, "I've still got that stopwatch." Ianto's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't thinking about the implied sex statement; he was remembering the fact that Jack had read his letter. It must have hurt the immortal man's heart so much.

"Jack, I'm-"

"You did teach me to love again," Jack cut off. "I never found anyone else after you. I couldn't. It just didn't feel right. Knowing they weren't you, knowing they didn't kiss like you, laugh like you. Knowing that they didn't have those beautiful Welsh vowels." Jack was hugging him tight in bed, flesh touching flesh. He relished the feeling of his lover's warm body pressed against his. "I nearly lost it once," the immortal confessed. "I found the 456 home planet and I had the means. I had the tech and the weapons to knock that entire planet out of their solar system. But I didn't. Right before I planted that frequency detonator, I saw your face and I heard your voice. You were frowning at me and you were telling me how it wasn't worth it and… And I love you so damn much."

The captain, friend, father, grandfather and lover buried his head in Ianto's chest, letting his tears fall freely. He heard Ianto's heart beat frantically against his chest and smiled, feeling the breath tickle his hair.

And that night, Jack knew that all of his humanity had come back to him. Even though he'd gone to acceptance just days after he came back to Earth, letting the human side of Captain Jack Harkness ebb its way in, he wasn't completely whole until now.

Because Jack was the soul and Ianto was the spirit…

… And the soul couldn't live without the spirit.

Torchwood was back –wholly.


	23. CODA: a new beginning, a new chapter of

**_full chapter title_: A NEW BEGINNING, A NEW CHAPTER OF MY LIFE -----coda****  
-from Out of the Blue It by Delta Goodrem  


* * *

**

Liz was out by the bay, enjoying the fresh air and the new day of peace. A new beginning. That always called for a new end. This time, hopefully, the end would be better. She heard footsteps approach from behind her.

"You seem different," Jack told Liz.

"How do you mean?" Liz asked quizzically. She opened her eyes.

"The light in your eyes is gone."

"The light in my eyes was always gone."

"No. Not really," Jack disagreed. He folded his arms and raised his eyebrows. "What happened in Ealing?"

"Recovery. Then I hung out a bit with Clyde, Luke and Rani. That's all. No alien disturbances, although that would probably show up in the databases anyway."

"That's all?" Jack pushed.

"Yes. Why?"

"Because I know that look," Jack began strictly. "The glow disappearing from your eyes. It's when you've seen something horrible. Not horrible like watching someone die. Horrible like watching an entire species being wiped out from the universe. There's only one way for someone to look like that." Jack turned his head to look at Liz. Liz looked up in return. "It's when someone's taken a little detour trip."

"And what exactly are you implying?"

"The Doctor. How did you meet him?"

"After finding the ship," Liz answered, looking out into the bay again. "I called Sarah Jane after I came back for his number. Then I called him. He helped sort out the problems with timelines and stuff. That's all."

"You're an exceptionally brilliant liar."

"I learned from the best."

"You went with him." Jack's tone was accusatory.

"That's an assumption."

"No. It's a fact. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you go with him? You weren't sick. I could see that from a mile off. I found the syringe you injected yourself with. All I saw was that you needed some time. I trusted that you wouldn't do anything reckless. So tell me. Why did you go with him?"

"I needed some answers and I got them."

"Answers to what?"

"You'll know. In the future."

Seeing the conversation was going nowhere, Jack dropped the subject and asked another question. "Why did you do it?" His voice was slightly quieter. "Why did you bring Ianto back?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No."

Jack's answer caused a smile to flicker rapidly across the girl's face. _Did I do it? Did it come out right?_ Yes, it did. It bloody very well did. "So why are you asking?"

"Curiosity."

"Kills the cat," the teenager pointed out. "And I can't tell you that either. You'll know in the future. It's just that… Everyone deserves a second chance. Yours was long overdue."

"An injury to one is an injury to all," Jack muttered under his breath. Liz just laughed and shook her head. "What?" Jack demanded.

"Nothing, nothing!" Liz continued to laugh as she turned and returned to the invisible lift.

_Always one for the philosophy._

Liz was right.

_You never change._

* * *

**Arc Two now completed. The last and third arc will have more action and feature crossovers from all of Whoverse.**_  
_


	24. WAITED FOR FACT TO COME OF FICTION

**_full chapter title_****: WAITED FOR FACT TO COME OF FICTION  
-from Long Shot by Kelly Clarkson**

**Greetings again! I'm am happy and sad to announce the start of the final arc of this fanfiction. This arc is entitled "Remotely Interesting" because of my favorite Doctor Who quote: _anybody who's remotely interesting is mad in some way or another_ as said by the 7th Doctor. This arc actually crosses over with the supposed Doctor Who finale. Since I don't know what the DW finale will be like, I've integrated the characters into my fictional plot revolving around said finale. Enjoy!**

**I've edited this the point where Rory's condition in Cold Blood has happened. Be prepared for a bit of Rory angst. xD**

**

* * *

**

The President of the United States of America stood outside the Oval Office. The green grass was neatly trimmed and the breeze was just right for this late spring day. A podium stood in front of him and various media stations and VIPs sat on the chairs laid out. Two UNIT soldiers flanked him. A UNIT general stood behind him.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," President Whitmore began. "The past years have certainly shown unmarked changes. In 1969, we successfully became the first to land a man on the moon. Since then, we have embarked on daring missions to seek the life out there. In 2006, the bombshell was dropped and it has been shown that in these encounters, we are not the best defended. I'm pleased to announce that-"

In the back row sat a young man by the name of John. It was a simple and plain name really. John Johnson. Fresh out of university. His father was a successful man and too busy to attend this announcement, sending this son instead. John, though, felt that nagging feeling at the back of his head. That rush of adrenaline, the feeling of heightened human intuition. Something was bound to happen. Something bad.

As if his paranoia got the better of him, he heard a beam charge up like in the video games he played when he was a child. "Mr. President!" the young man cried, standing up suddenly. "You're the worst man to ever govern our nation!"

The cameras all turned to him. "I'm sorry sir," Whitmore apologized. "What is it that upsets you, I-"

"I don't want to see your face!" John took off his shoe and chucked it at the President. At the last possible second, he dodged. At the same time, the beam shot out and barely missed the President. It left a smoldering hole in the side of the building behind them though.

Immediately the UNIT soldiers chased after the sources of the beam. The President was dumbfounded. "You saved my life!" He applauded John and the media direct their attention to him, momentarily forgetting about the President.

"Sir," the UNIT general whispered, "That was no ordinary gun."

"So I'd realize."

"You need to be protected. Best of the best. I think I know who to call, though I'm not sure they'd be willing."

"And that would be?"

"Torchwood, sir, Torchwood."

* * *

"Jack," Ianto protested as he was backed up against the wall. "We're in the middle of _work_."

"I know." Jack chuckled, his hot breath sending chills down Ianto's spine. The immortal's hands pressed against the wall, trapping the other Torchwood operative. They were in the bedroom adjacent to Jack's office. It had been a new addition when Gwen rebuilt the hub.

It was midday as Jack was thoroughly enjoying himself with Ianto the same as ever, professional.

"Then why am I backed up against a wall?" the archivist asked as Jack trailed his neck with kisses. He fought the urge not to moan. Ianto realized that over the span of their relationship, it was beginning to get easier to resist Jack. However, they had that empathy link now. Jack loved to test it to the max and try to corner the Welshman during working hours. All this was to the dismay of the rest of his team.

"Why _shouldn't_ you be backed up against a wall?"

Ianto sighed. "They're waiting for us."

"Yeah, but they're used to it."

With yet another sigh Ianto gave in and pressed his lips to Jack's, letting the much older man make him forget how to form sentences correctly. They deepened the kiss until it was a fight for control, Jack toppling onto the bed with Ianto pulling off the braces and undoing his captain's shirt buttons. They were having quiet a time when a tiny prick entered Jack's mind.

_JACK!_

Jack abruptly let go of his kiss and clutched his head in pain. Ianto chuckled as he pulled back and rested his head on the captain's chest, feeling his heartbeat and knowing what was to come. Sure enough, faint footsteps could be heard entering Jack's office. Thank God the bedroom door was locked.

"Jack!" Liz began irritably. "When Gwen said to pack up, she didn't mean _scar_ me for life, although yes you've done that many times before. When will you learn to stop thinking so loud when you're having 'fun?' Hurry up! We have a _flight_ remember?"

Angry footsteps soon disappeared as Ianto lifted his head. "I told you so, _sir_," he teased and pecked Jack's lips before getting up and slipping on his shirt.

Jack grumbled miserably as he did the same and secured the last of their gear in the metal case before snapping it shut. Five minutes later, the couple emerged from the office. "Have everything?" Jack mumbled. Everyone nodded.

Medical kit? Check. Singularity Scalpel? Check. PDA? Check. Rift analyzer, weapons, computer plus software, substance scanner, portable prison cell and data scanning device? Check, check, check, check and check. How about the newly fitted watches that Liz and Lois worked up that act as perception filters as well? Check. And Retcon was always at hand.

"I think we're ready to go," Gwen nodded. "We have to start moving before the PM sends over his fleet."

"And we wouldn't want that," Lois laughed.

"I still don't see why we have to go though," Jack pouted.

Everyone stared at him. "Did you just pout?" Liz asked.

"No."

"Yes you did," Gwen accused.

"You did!" sang Lois.

Jack opened his mouth to say something witty but Ianto covered it with his own and gave him a kiss. The girls giggled. "There. Now can we go?" Ianto asked.

"You only did that to shut me up and distract them," Jack accused.

"Yes and?"

"Are you embarrassed?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Why would I?"

"Don't worry. I love you too." Jack leaned over and gave Ianto another kiss. _Now_ Ianto was embarrassed. Despite Jack's playful tone, the Welshman could feel the underlying truth in his words through the link.

The girls giggled again.

* * *

"Doctor!" Amy called as she bounded down the TARDIS steps to the control room.

"Morning," the Time Lord greeted.

"So you said Barcelona?" Amy prompted. "Dogs with no noses?"

"Change of plans. World maybe ending, stuff like that."

"So what?" Amy asked.

"We just sit here and monitor. Jack and his little buddies will be in DC soon. We need to keep an eye on them."

"Why don't we just go any join them."

"Don't need them to know that I'm here. Trying to avert another crisis."

* * *

"We get a private plane!" Lois exclaimed.

"A private plane crawling with UNIT," Gwen reminded.

"Still private."

"We've got perception filters," offered Liz, holding up her wrist.

"That'll scare them," Gwen laughed, "when the wonder where we went."

"Martha and Mickey will have a laugh at that."

"Don't bother them now," Lois scolded. "They're busy babysitting the Rift with Alice and Rhys."

Jack and Ianto were ahead of them and at the security checkpoint. The girls caught up. "Should we actually put the luggage through the machines?" Ianto inquired.

"We should probably stay until someone comes to get us," Gwen replied. They all looked at each other.

"Machine it is," Jack confirmed with that mischievous gleam in his eyes. One by one they loaded the bags filled with equipment, but most importantly, guns. The security check man tried to keep a poker face about it but when he asked Jack to open the bags, he was trembling.

"Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Lois Habiba, Elizabeth Huang. Clearance code 23898526." There was a blank look in the other man's face as Jack drawled out the information. "We're Torchwood."

"Oh, um. Could you open your bag for me?"

Liz rolled her eyes as she eyed a British UNIT colonel approach them from inside the airport gate area. "Oh smart. From _inside_ the airport."

"They're with me," the colonel motioned.

"Another reason to be glad we're separate from the government," Gwen muttered.

As they boarded their plane, it looked very much like the Air Force One in the movie Independence Day. Ianto remarked on how ironic that was, considering their jobs, and Jack just eyed him. Liz then declared that it was her favorite movie of all time. Jack and Ianto took seats next to each other as the girls sat in a different section of the plane. In a matter of moments after take-off, they fell asleep.


	25. FINE LINE BETWEEN A SKEWER AND A DECENT

**_full chapter title_****: FINE LINE BETWEEN A SKEWER AND A DECENT SENSE OF HUMOR****  
-from It's Gonna Be It by Norah Jones**

* * *

Jack woke up quietly five minutes before the plane landed. He could see Lois and Liz chatting quietly while Gwen reviewed case files. Ianto's head was snuggled against his chest. Jack smiled at the sight of the sleeping Welshman and used his free left hand to fish something out of his pocket.

He slipped the ring onto Ianto's finger and kissed his lover awake. "Five more minutes…" Ianto muttered as he broke off the kiss.

"We're landing in five minutes," Jack whispered into Ianto's hair.

Unhappy with his lack of sleep, Ianto ruffled his hand through his hair and felt the weight of the ring on his finger. Confused, he turned to Jack with a quizzical expression.

"I love you Ianto Jones. Will you marry me?"

The Welshman stayed silent for a while, unsure of what to say, before he finally deadpanned, "I was expecting something a little more extravagant, _sir_."

"I'm going to take that as a yes," the captain laughed and kissed Ianto's forehead.

They were both beaming as they stepped off the plane. This caused Gwen to whisper quietly to the other two females on the team. "What's with them?"

Lois shrugged but Liz whispered back, "Take a good look at Ianto's hand next time."

Gwen raised her eyebrows and let her mouth drop. Even Lois had a surprised look on her face. "No…" Gwen laughed. The three of them giggled as they descended the plane's stairs to the runway.

Immediately as they landed on the private landing strip, they were greeted UNIT colonel Augustus Oduya. Jack's face shriveled in obvious disgust. He could feel the other two senior members of his team stiffen. Wasn't this man supposed to be in Britain? Must've gotten demoted after the 456 incident.

"Captain Jack Harkness," the colonel greeted with an extended hand.

Jack ignored it.

Oduya surveyed the travelers. "Over the phone you said you needed four rooms, but I see that there are five people. Should I make other arrangements or…"

"Just tell us where are rooms are." Jack plastered on fake smile.

Getting the message, Oduya quickly led them to their rooms. The team piled into the largest quarters, the one that would eventually become Jack and Ianto's as well as their temporary base. Once Oduya was out of earshot, Jack sighed loudly.

"Finally!" he cried and kissed Ianto hard on the lips as if that was his reward for being patient. The Welshman only blushed furiously on such a display.

"What was that about?" Liz asked.

"He was one of the colonels in London two years ago," Lois explained. She cast a glance at Jack to see his reaction. He never gave one.

"Well first things first," Jack exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Get to work team!"

The girls each went off to their separate rooms, each with a small, black, sleek scanner in their hands. Ianto tossed Jack theirs and all of the Torchwood agents activated the device simultaneously. The bugs placed in their rooms immediately flared up and died. The girls hurried back into the main room. Liz held something else in her hand which she threw at Jack. "Happy engagement," she said.

Jack caught it. "And that is?" Ianto inquired.

"Telepathic disturber/sound barrier. Lois rigged it up from some old tech we dragged out of the bay. It, uh… keeps you quiet at night."

Jack raised his eyebrows and the sides of his lips twitched.

"We're guests!" Liz exclaimed. "Sheesh! UNIT may not be on the top of our 'hot' list but there's still something called respect!"

Jack chuckled and began to issue orders. "Gwen, Lois go check out the computers and the tech they have here. They want us investigating aliens here, they better give us full access to all equipment." The two of them nodded. "Liz, go find a team of young doctors and do something smart that will make their years of medical school look like kindergarten. Ianto and I will go meet the president and brief the rest of you later."

* * *

Gwen and Lois marched purposefully down the hallways to the main computer room. UNIT specialists were typing away. Torchwood was here for three reasons. One, to protect the President of the United States. Two, to investigate strange readings UNIT had been receiving. Three, to extremely and utterly humiliate the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce.

They were all going to have fun with that last bit.

Gwen and Lois peered around in the room, leaning around people to view the programs. They met in the middle of the room which held a small table. Gwen leaned over and whispered, "Not as good as us."

"We'll have to add in our own spices," Lois agreed and ushered a young looking bloke away. She uploaded the Rift software and communications program, along with a few other Torchwood specialties. The UNIT employees raised their eyebrows. "There," Lois declared. "All better."

* * *

Liz marched into medical room. As Jack said, there the medics were, young and working away. She surveyed the room and eyed a scalpel. She picked it up and weighed it in her hand. A young man looked over. "Um… I don't think you want to mess with that with no gloves." He had a distinct British accent.

"You from England?" Liz asked.

"Yeah."

"Name?"

"Rory."

"Hello Rory. I don't think I'll cut myself with this." To supplement her answer, she swung it to the side. It neatly grazed over another doctor and pierced itself in the painting that was hung there. Liz smiled sweetly but sarcastically. She fished a switchblade out of her back pocket. "I've used a lot of sharp things in my life." Liz clapped her hands together, switchblade still in hand. "Right, okay! Until I don't have to stick around and babysit the President, you listen to Torchwood and Torchwood also means me. Is that clear?"

No one answered.

"Is that clear?" Liz repeated a bit louder.

"Excuse me," came a voice. Liz whirled around, switchblade in hand. As she turned, the blade flipped out by accident. It was Oduya. "These doctors are employees of UNIT. They do not take orders from anyone else but us."

"Oh yeah, UNIT. Sure," Liz drawled. "I presume this is coming from the same man who was willing to sacrifice so many children three years ago? Coming from the same man whose actions unknowingly set of repercussions in all of time and space indirectly linked with the return of Captain Jack Harkness? This coming from the man who indirectly had a hand in the death of Ianto Jones and other innocents in the Thames House? Alright," Liz smiled and turned back to the doctors. "Second thought, you can just clear out and I'll have Harkness deal with you."

Not one doctor moved. Liz just laughed.

* * *

Ianto was finding it increasingly hard to walk down to the Oval Office. Jack was busy thinking of the things he was going to do to his perfect Welshman once night fell and he could feel it as clear as day. Ianto rolled his eyes and pressed Jack against the wall. The captain was taken by surprise. The younger man forced his lips on the immortal and kissed him roughly. Jack groaned and rolled his hips.

"Now can you think non-dirty thoughts until _after_ we speak with the President?" Ianto asked like a parent.

"Yes _sir_," Jack leered. Ianto rolled his eyes again. They managed to get to the Office in two separate pieces though. Inside, Whitmore was waiting for them.

"Captain Jack Harkness," the immortal introduced, extending his hand. "This is Ianto Jones."

"Whitmore. Thomas Whitmore." The President shook the hand.

Jack glanced over at Ianto and gave him a subtle wink. Directing his attention back to the President he asked, "I presume UNIT's told you about us?"

"They did indeed," Whitmore nodded, returning back to behind the desk.

"HMS Resolute," Jack commented, eyeing the brown desk. "Seen the one back in England too. I was there when the Queen unveiled it."

"That was over one hundred years ago."

"Queen and country," Jack shrugged. Then he turned serious. "While we're here, things will be run our way. I just hope you're clear with that."

"Actually," Whitmore proposed. "You've got something America wants. Or rather, Social Services. Your medic. She is a minor and she is a United States citizen. She's our responsibility and frankly, she's caused us a lot of trouble. You give us custody of her and things will go your way."

Jack shot a look at Ianto and raised his eyebrows. Turning back around, he chuckled. "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. President _sir_," Jack began sarcastically. "We're Torchwood. Beyond the UN, outside the government –operating independently. Now the last time I checked, Elizabeth Huang was born in Cardiff, Wales and has lived there her life. I do believe if you search your birth records, there's no mention of any Elizabeth Huang, 17, Asian-American." Jack looked back at Ianto. "She saw it coming and got Lois to wipe her records clean." Ianto nodded. "And so," Jack continued to the President, "our way or the highway."

"Right then," the President breathed, obviously a bit startled by Jack's forcefulness. "You will have all access to resources you need."

Jack straightened up and tugged his coat. "Glad we understand each other."

* * *

**Oh? Rory's around?**

**Hmm... Now how can that be?**

**xD**


	26. YOU'D BETTER RUN, 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA

**_full chapter title_: YOU'D BETTER RUN, 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME HELL TODAY****  
-from Run Devil Run by Ke$ha**

**I've shortened the line so it'd make sense and didn't drag on forever.**

* * *

Torchwood met back in Jack and Ianto's room. "So…" Jack prompted.

"Downloaded all UNIT databases and programs," Gwen filled in. "Overrode protocols of our own."

"Gave them hell at the same time," Lois chipped in.

Jack nodded and turned to Liz. "About the same," she said. "Scared the hell out of the medics. Met a Brit, who might be a problem." Jack raised his eyebrows. "I couldn't read him at all. It was like he was dead. I nicked a blood sample though. Thought he might be an alien."

"How'd you to that?" questioned Ianto.

"Slyly made him scrape himself against one of the corners of the op table. Then I wiped it up and did first aid. Scanned it with the substance scanner we brought. He's human. It's like all of our blood."

"So there's nothing wrong," Lois concluded.

"No, not really. I should probably amend that to 'like all of our blood and similar to Jack's' because of the whole immortality thing, but! We've all taken a trip in the TARDIS one time of another right?" Liz asked.

Gwen nodded. "True."

"Well time travel messes with your biology just barely. Alters the blood system, makes you less immune to diseases, because you have to. You don't want to end up contracting an alien flu that could kill you. His white blood cells are like ours."

"So you think he's with the Doctor?" Jack asked.

"Just a guess. Explains why I can't read him, Rory –that's his name. Can't read Rory. The Doctor could be shielding him. Why though?"

"Probably doesn't want us to know he's here."

"Yeah, why though? Doctor's here, means something's going on."

Gwen was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Jack called. The door creaked open.

"I'm Senator McClain. I have someone who's asking for you."

* * *

"We've had this prisoner," Senator McClain explained. "UNIT had no idea who he was. Just popped out of nowhere, fully armed. Looked like a deer caught in headlights when he finally got the cuffs around him. Put up a good fight, but tasers tend to knock people out." The senator had led Torchwood to a concrete cell with a completely opaque and soundproof door. "He heard that you were here and would stop begging to see you. Be careful. He might be dangerous for all we know."

"Nothing we can't handle," Jack assured, all smiles.

Senator McClain nodded at the UNIT soldier guarding the door. The soldier slipped the key into the lock and slid the bar across. After a great heave, the door pulled open. Immediately, Jack's face fell.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Jack deadpanned.

"Bloody hell no," Gwen muttered.

Ianto's face merely tried to mask the disgust it was showing.

"Oh look! It's Excalibur!" the man in the cell exclaimed. Ianto managed a very obvious eye roll.

"You know this man?" the senator inquired.

"We-" the man in the cell started.

"We're acquaintances," Jack quickly cut in. He glared at the man, almost daring him to contradict.

"Is he dangerous?" questioned McClain.

"Yes," Gwen, Ianto and Jack answered almost simultaneously.

"Drugs, alcohol, sex and murder rehab," Jack listed with a mutter. He ran his left hand through his head. The captain had just realized that he'd been holding Ianto's hand tight. "We'll deal with him," Jack sighed.

"But he's dangerous," the senator said.

"So he is our responsibility," Jack finished. "We'll handle it. Go."

Reluctantly, the balding senator left the cells. Immediately after McClain turned the corner, Jack hissed, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Could ask the same for you."

"Business. Now _why_ are you here?"

"I have no idea."

"What do you mean you have no idea," Gwen said. "You're here now."

The man stood up, hands behind his back with the cuffs, and ignored Gwen's statement. He peered behind them. "See you got new family."

Jack signed and introduced Lois and Liz. "Lois, Liz, this is John."

"Captain John Hart," corrected John.

"Time Agency," Liz noted, eyeing the vortex manipulator.

"Yep. Jack and I go way back." Ianto rolled his eyes again at the messed-up Time Agent's words. "Back to when-"

"You were stuck in a two-week time loop," Liz finished.

"Yeah…" John furrowed his brow. "But, you know, it was-"

"Actually five years in the loop and it was like having a wife," the girl finished again.

"Yeah…"

Jack laughed at the "captain's" cluelessness. "So back to original question," Jack said. "Why are you here?"

"Temporal amnesia. I have no idea," Captain John Hart told them.

"He's lying," Liz said. "He knows he's here, but he has no idea how he got here or why's here for that matter."

Jack looked back. "Go on," he coaxed.

"Something in the time vortex latched on to the manipulator. You said it yourself. Your wrist strap was acting up before we left. Whatever the disturbance was pulled him through the time vortex and landed him here. The only reason why _you_ didn't follow was probably because of your proximity to the Rift, exposure to it… or maybe because you're just a fact."

"How did you know that?" John questioned suspiciously.

"She's brilliant," Jack smiled.

"You got a mind-reader?" Hart realized.

"_Gwen_ got a mind-reader," Jack corrected.

"Actually the mind-reader got us," clarified Gwen.

"The mind-reader can hear you," Liz added, waving her hand up in the air.

"And _I_ want you out right now," Jack told his ex-Time Agent partner.

"Why?"

"Does it really need saying?" Gwen mumbled.

Just then, Lois's PDA went off. "Massive energy levels," she declared. "All coming from the National Mall area." She punched a few buttons. "Looks like some kind of shift."

"Shift in what?" Jack asked.

"Don't know. Never seen anything like this."

"Alright," Jack breathed. "Ianto with me. Gwen stick Lois. And Liz, sorry to say you're stuck with him." Jack nodded at Hart.

Liz tapped her head. "Twenty steps ahead," she reminded him.

* * *

"Jack's certainly trusts you, if he's going to leave a kid with me," John muttered as they headed down 17th Street and to the WWII Veterans Memorial.

"I'm seventeen thank you very much," Liz snapped back. "And don't try anything stupid. I'll always be twenty steps ahead of you."

"And he's certainly good at hiring. Didn't take long for him to bounce back after his doctor and techie, did it?"

"Jack didn't hire me," Liz said.

"Oh, right. It was Miss Sparkly Eyes."

"Gwen. Her name is Gwen. We have names, which is more than I can say for you. _Use_ them."

"Since when did she start competing for the top job?"

"She isn't."

"I think recruitment is reserved for the boss," John Hart pointed out.

"You don't know?" Liz asked. "Did you ever listen when they were training you in the Time Agency? They never told you anything about how the 21st century was when everything changed? How the world almost ended? Didn't you pay attention the increase in alien activity leaking out to the public the past two or so years? That fact that Jack wasn't even…" She let herself trail off.

"I was, and still am, a delinquent. So enlighten me."

"You don't notice," continued Liz gently, "the way Jack looks Ianto?"

"Love," John passed off, as if it were obvious.

"Like he's afraid to lose him. You've never heard of the 456?"

"Vaguely," John admitted. "Something about being drug addicts. I remember half of the new recruits getting stoned after that lesson. Now _that_ was something to remember."

Liz managed a half eye roll, perfectly imitating Ianto's. "They came," she stated blandly. "They came to Earth and demanded 10% of the children population. The order was given by the British government to assassinate Jack."

"And pray, I ask, why?"

"He'd dealt with them before. 1965. His past came back to haunt him."

"Can tell why he's a secretive man nowadays."

"The government was going to do it. They were really going to fork over the children and cover it up. They were going to play victim. And Torchwood goes in like they always do. They stop it." Liz paused a bit, clenching her gun tightly. She carefully turned the corner. "How old do you think Jack is?" she questioned randomly.

"2100 or so years," John replied over immediately. "He was buried in the ground for almost two millennia."

"Way off," informed Liz. "Over 3000." John gaped. "The 456," she started to explain. "Those bloody aliens. They killed him. They killed Ianto." When John gave no answer, the seventeen year-old continued. "Airborne virus when they were negotiating with the 456 Ambassador. And just when it couldn't get any worse, his…" Liz trailed off. "The only way to stop the 456 was to transmit a signal back to them. The aliens used the children to speak to Earth. They _controlled_ them. The only child Jack had in that twenty minute or so timeframe to work was his grandson."

"He was married?" John asked.

"That's beside the point."

"He didn't…" the ex-Time Agent realized.

"Jack ran across the world, across the seas. Ran and ran for six months until he came back to Cardiff and got his manipulator back. Then he ran again, across the universe. For 1000 years. The Doctor dropped him off in Cardiff.

"He was a mess," sighed Liz, "A total mess. Suicide, depression, alcoholism… you name it."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say he made peace with death."

"But Eye Candy's here now."

"Names…" Liz mumbled inaudibly before continuing. "Nanogenes. We froze the damage in a cyro. We brought his grandson back too."

"Why are you telling me this?" John inquired, suddenly skeptical about the girl's motives.

"Think about it Captain John Hart, if that's even your name. You have an immortal man. He's a fixed point in time in space. He's calm and time is calm. He goes volatile and the rest of the universe feels his ill effects. We brought them back because it was killing him inside.

"He took all the blame. Every single death that happened, he thought it was his entire fault. Owen, Toshiko. Ianto. Stephen. Eventually, he'd have to get over the fact that they would die one day, but it was too soon for him. We had to bring them back. We _had_ to. He needed stability or the universe would eventually crumble –end. And that's not until 100 trillion. Maybe this was supposed to happen," Liz mused.

Then she continued. "Take this as a warning _Captain_. If you hurt anyone of us; if you even dare lay a hand on anyone of us. If we get hurt and it traces back to you, there will be hell to pay from Jack. Is that understood?" Then her seriousness faded as she pressed a finger to her comms. "17th Street is safe Jack."


	27. THAT REBEL MOON IN SHINING

**_full chapter title_: THAT REBEL MOON IN SHINING****  
-from The World is Ours Tonight by Gloriana**

* * *

"So if everything's safe…" Gwen began, "why did the scanner off?"

"Interference?" suggested Liz. "It could have been a radio broadcast or maybe a UNIT signal to the new Valiant."

Jack shook his head. "A simple signal like that would disrupt the scanner."

"Maybe your scanner is defective," Hart supplied. Jack shot him a glare.

"Why does he have to be here?" Gwen asked. "Can't we stuff him back in a cell again?"

"He'd only get out," Liz pointed out. "Vortex manipulator." Gwen sighed in defeat.

"Looks like you're stuck with me," leered Hart.

"Watch it!" snapped Gwen.

"Ooh, feisty."

"Oh for heaven's sake!"

"Back to the point…" Lois redirected. "The readings were like two parts of space that shouldn't have touched. Like uh… Cardiff being right next to America or something like that."

"Don't see the water tower," Ianto pointed out.

"None of us saw anything. It was gone in a second-"

"But it should have left some residual energy that we should have been able to trace," Jack finished for her. Lois nodded.

"You're just talking in circles," Hart criticized. "If you want to find out what's going on here, I suggest going to those hotshot soldiers and do something about it. The five of you are just standing around thinking."

Everyone was a bit surprised. "That has got to be the smartest thing that he's ever said," Gwen pointed out.

Jack blinked. "Agreed."

* * *

Rory Williams sat down on the bed in his quarters. How long had he been here? He'd lost count. First he thought he was dead, and then no one remembered him. Then Torchwood came. The girl, her name… what was it? Elizabeth? Yeah that one. She looked at him like she could see right through him. It was unnerving. It was like she noticed something was wrong with him.

Looking down at his hand, he saw that it was translucent for a split second. He was fading. His luck was running out. If Torchwood was here, it meant the Doctor could be around. Amy _had_ mentioned something about Jack Harkness before. He just hoped Liz wouldn't give him hell as he held out a while longer.

But Liz gave him more trouble then he'd expected. In the next week, she walked in each day with that steely gaze fixed on him. Rory tried to look away, only to look back and see a false bravado plastered on his face. He'd overheard the rumors about her once being on the no-fly list and top of American security. He gathered up the courage to ask about it.

"Nothing really," she said. "I'm just a runaway."

"You ran all the way to _Cardiff_?" Rory remarked.

"It wasn't that big of a deal. Got a tech friend to hack my way out. False IDs and constructed identities. It wasn't that hard."

On the last day, right before the big meeting, she came up to him and whispered, "I don't know what you're hiding, but I'm going to find out."

Rory never thought that a little girl could speak with such malice dripping for her voice.

* * *

It lasted one more week. The readings, the false alarms. The "how-the-hell-should-I-know what's going arguments with the President. Each day, there had to be at least one person who body guarded the President. Usually it was Lois. Jack, being the leader, has some sort of exemption. Jack also wouldn't let Ianto out of his sight. Gwen volunteered and the two of them switched around sometimes. Liz, on the other hand, was Jack's leash on John Hart. He also wouldn't let her out of his sight unless she had a foot down on Hart.

It came to pass that one day, they were all gathered in the main control room of UNIT headquarters in Washington D.C. It was a big meeting –computers everywhere, secretaries typing away, researchers filling their heads. A long oval table sat in the middle of the room. Seated was the President, a few UNIT generals (including Oduya), Torchwood, Hart, other members of staff that headed certain departments and Rory. Liz kept her gaze fixed on Rory the entire time, something she knew the nurse felt uncomfortable about. She hoped the unnerving feeling he was developing was going to be enough to break through him for once.

"Liz..listening… pardon ma'am. I asked are you listening?"

"Wha- yeah?" Liz said, snapping from her daze.

"I asked," the President repeated, "If you were listening."

"Yeah of course," Liz replied. "You talked about the national security of the country, safety of the people etcetera etcetera. And then you mentioned something about the readings, broadcasts."

"What did I just say?"

"Mr. President sir," began Liz. "I'm not a child; I can drive you crazy without lifting a finger." With a sigh, Liz said, "Washington Monument's a big transmitter." By the look on President Whitmore's face, that was not the correct answer. "Oh, sorry. Because that's what I'd think first if there was something broadcasting over all of DC."

"And you never cared to divulge this information?"

"There's nothing alien around," Liz explained. "There was no need to. It's like a crack, only in reality."

_Cracks. Erasing you from time,_ Liz finally heard.

Liz stood up and accidently kneed herself against the table. She winced and then directed her question to Rory. "What do you mean _erase_?" she asked.

"What? Did you just…" Rory was dumbfounded.

"Telepathic field. Born on the Rift. You know about the crack. How? Why?"

"Um… I…"

"I've tried to read you ever since we've been here. But you, you're always so sealed off. It's like you're dead but you're not. What is it?"

"What is what?"

"You, the Crack, whoever's blocking you. Just tell me something useful."

"The Crack, it's a rip in time and space and in the fabric of reality. If the energy catches up with you, you get erased from the timeline. No one remembers you. You never existed."

The sirens sounded and the bulbs in the room flashed red over and over again. Instantly, all the Torchwood members shoved UNIT employees aside from their computers.

With one look, Ianto deadpanned, "Well this can't be good."

* * *

**Doctor's coming in soon. Rory's fading. Cliffhanger much?**


	28. HEAVY HEAD, COLDER SWEAT

**_full chapter title_: HEAVY HEAD, COLDER SWEAT****  
-from Suffocated by Orianthi**

* * *

"Mauve alert from the Shadow Proclamation!" Liz shouted, her eyes briefly leaving the screen.

"Shadow Proclamation? Mauve alert?" the President inquired.

"Intergalactic police. Intergalactic color for emergency," the girl explained as Jack rushed over.

"What is it?" the captain asked.

"Cardiff."

"What?"

"The Rift is splintering."

"But that's what happened last time," Gwen said recalling Abaddon. "Owen opened it. It hasn't been open for years."

Lois studied the readings even further. "The Rift isn't splintering," she realized. "It's collapsing. All those other readings, they were just precursors to this."

"Jack!" Ianto called. "Getting reports of mirages and transparent figures around the globe and apparently," Ianto pressed a key on the keyboard, "same readings across the atmosphere and beyond a well." Jack just merely stared open mouth at the computer screen. Readings like those had only been seen a few times. Canary Wharf, Tommy Brockflis and planets in the sky. "Jack!" his lover cried.

"What do we do?" Liz asked in a whisper.

"Torchwood with me!" Jack ordered, regaining in authoritative composure. "The rest of you… don't touch anything." His gaze was directed at the UNIT agents in the room. "You, nurse, medic… Rory! You stick with us. And John…"

"As much as I hate telling you this," Gwen said, "we can't just leave him here."

Jack sighed in defeat. "With us," he mumbled grumpily.

"Looks like you can't seem to get rid of me," the ex-Time Agent smirked.

Ianto managed an eye-roll as Jack muttered something under his breath, running out the door. The climbed the flight of stairs to at a time until they reached the roof. Ianto made a mental note about Jack being on a roof, _again_. What was it with this man and roofs?

But that was hardly the point at the moment. All around them flashes of history blinked here and there. It looked like the White House was burning, then it all of a sudden it wasn't. There were Civil War soldiers marching followed by WWII veterans shooting into the air which was all replaced by the present –and extremely terrified- civilians.

"And this is going on all over the world?" Jack asked.

"Yes sir," Ianto replied just as Jack and John's wrist straps beeped crazily.

"What's going on?" Liz asked, eyeing the vortex manipulators.

"Emergency signal tied in with energy readings on a planet," John explained pressing buttons on his wrist strap. "Automated alert triggered by proximity to the disturbance."

"Like a late heads up," Lois supplied.

"When you put it that way-"

"All over the world," Jack repeated slowly before pulling out his mobile and dialing his daughter.

"Dad?" came the breathless voice.

"Is everything alright?"

"Bloody hell it's not!" Alice cried. Jack could feel her throw her free hand up in the air. "It's like the world's starting to shake! The Rift is going crazy!"

"Splintering," Jack provided. "Collapsing."

"Yeah. Mickey's here doing something with the rift manipulator."

The phone was passed to the Rose's former boyfriend. Jack could hear his grandson in the background asking, "Is that granddad?" Alice must have pulled Steven out of school with all the chaos going on.

"Hello Captain Cheesecake," Mickey greeted.

"Mickey Mouse," the captain responded. "Tell me it's not the end of the world."

"No such luck. Martha's trying to get a hold of the Doc but something's disturbing the signal."

"Great time to be stuck one ocean away isn't it? I've got a new companion of the Doctor's here, not Amy. Right now would be a good time to hear the TARDIS." There was a loud banging in the background. "What was that?" Jack inquired.

"Dunno. Sounds like someone's screaming."

Immediately, Jack tensed. "Has any equipment been damaged?"

"Not that we know of."

"If time is splintering, that means time could be reversing," Jack slowly realized. He looked away from the horizon and back at his team. "You said someone was screaming?"

"Yeah."

"Oh shit," the immortal said, beat.

"What Jack?"

"Don't go down into the morgue. That's an order. Arm yourselves. Keep Steven safe. And don't set the Hub on emergency lockdown."

"Please don't tell me you have a psychopath in a cryo down below," Mickey pleaded.

"What?" Alice shouted in the background.

"Just do as I say!" Jack cried, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of a bell.

"Is that the TARDIS I hear?" asked Mickey, but the connection had already been cut as Jack dragged his team into the time ship and ignored the Doctor's greeting.

"A little rude there Jack," the Doctor pouted playfully. "Especially when-"

"Rift splintering, world ending," Jack finished. "Been there, done that. Don't have time now!" He began to work furiously at the section of the TARDIS he'd been taught to pilot. "Ow!" he shouted as the TARDIS sent a surge of energy through him. "Can you tell your ship to back off?" he cried in exasperation.

"She doesn't like that you're all over the place. Calm down."

"It's bigger on the inside!" the President breathed.

"Mr. President!" the Doctor cried, extending his hand. "I'm the Doctor!" The ship gave a lurch as it headed for its Cardiff destination.

"UNIT's Doctor?" the leader questioned, a little uneasy about the situation.

"Not really anyone's Doctor anymore. Just the Doctor," the Time Lord smiled. "This is Amy by the way. Amelia Pond, Amy, my companion. And Jack, what in Gallifrey are you doing with the President of the United States?"

"Assassination attempt," Lois explained, leaning on the console. "UNIT's convinced that it's alien."

"Charming," the Time Lord replied with raised eyebrows. "Timelines collapsing on each other, the volatile Cardiff Rift, which I suppose that's where we're going." The TARDIS had already landed.

As quick as lightning, Jack sprinted out of the police box doors with his Webley in hand. He was almost too late as a figure from his past stood confused in the shaking Hub.

"Jack!" Rhys cried. "Gwen? Where is she?"

"Right here sweetheart." Gwen clambered out of the TARDIS and to her husband. One look at the intruder and she gasped.

"Gwen?" Rhys said questioningly.

"Doctor!" Mickey exclaimed. "About time you came."

"Dad," Alice said, holding her son back. "Who's that?"

"Morgue," the intruder stated simply. "You couldn't kill me so you _knocked_ me out and _froze_ me up?"

Jack didn't reply.

"And 'dad?'" the other man continued. "Since when did you have kids?" He eyed Liz and Lois. "Oh! You've got replacements." He started to approach but Jack just pointed his Webley even more threateningly.

"Don't," Jack spat.

"Captain, I hope that I don't have to remind you, but the world _is_ ending," the Doctor pointed out. "Now might not be the best time to-"

"Doctor!" the immortal shouted. The Time Lord silenced himself in surprise. Not a lot of things surprised him. What Jack had accomplished was quite a feat.

"Dad," Alice whispered more urgently.

_If I could only get behind him to handcuff him_, Jack thought. _Then I could at least get him into the vaults. No one would have to die today._

"Dad. Who _is_ that?"

Jack sighed and gave in. "Your uncle."

"My what?" Alice hollered.

"I told you so," John Hart muttered.

"After you betrayed me," Gray accused.

"You let me go!"

"Is he…" Alice started. "Is he like you?"

"No," Jack stated simply. He could hear his daughter's sigh of relief.

"And what is he doing in the Hub?" Martha demanded.

"Got him!" Liz explained, expertly cuffing Jack's younger brother. No had even noticed she'd slipped out.

"Let go!" Gray yelled, thrashing wildly. He flung his elbow at the girl who dodged expertly. She dodged another assault and pressed her finger to the pressure point on the man's neck.

"You thought vaults right?" Liz asked her boss. Jack nodded dumbly and led his brother down to the cells.


	29. NOW I COUNT THEM ONE BREATH AT A TIME

**_full chapter title_: NOW I COUNT THEM ONE BREATH AT A TIME****  
-from Angels and Demons by Miccoli**

* * *

"Brother…" the Doctor mused, politely accepting a cup of coffee from Ianto. He glanced questioningly at Amy. It'd been a while since he'd had good coffee. His previous incarnation didn't like coffee, preferring tea instead.

The glance he cast Rory was a sad one and the nurse saw it. The nurse knew only the Doctor remembered. He'd have to keep quiet for now.

Gwen was busy trying to establish a video connection with UNIT in Washington D.C. Rhys was talking softly with her while Martha, Mickey, Lois and Jack's daughter were whispering quietly in the corner. Steven was playing on his PSP. The only one who seemed out of place was President Whitmore.

Jack was yelling on the phone, presumably to the UNIT generals in America. He was extremely frustrated on having to the explain the concept of _time_ travel and how he could analyze what was wrong in Cardiff and be back in D.C. to explain his findings in as little time as a second. "Yes, but by talking to you on the phone I'll be delaying myself because I can't possibly cross my own timeline!"

Liz came up from the vaults and asked, "Where's Jack?" Ianto pointed at the office where Jack had just slammed his mobile on his desk. "Right…" Liz breathed. "Wish me luck…"

She went in and gave a brief report on Gray. The girl flinched as Jack yelled again, but quickly resumed talking as if nothing had happened. From the others, it seemed like Jack was refusing to go along with whatever Liz had in mind. After five minutes of arguing and cajoling, Liz finally got what she wanted. She came out of the office with Jack following her a bit reluctantly.

"Steven!" Liz called from the center of the Hub. The little boy looked up. "Come with me." The eleven year old started to get up when his mother stopped him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Alice demanded icily.

"I'm not going to let him get hurt," assured the teenager.

"This is Torchwood," Alice pointed out. She made a show of gesturing at all the tech.

"Alice," her father ordered softly. A small exchange passed between them and she reluctantly let her son follow Elizabeth. Jack let out a breath and sat down on the Torchwood couch near the medical bay. He closed his eyes and rested his weight on Ianto who took his hand and grasped it soothingly.

"What's she doing?" Jack's daughter inquired.

"Watch the CCTV if you want to know," he responded without opening his eyes.

Down in the vaults, Liz unlocked Gray's cell. She held a tranquilizer gun in one hand and Steven's hand in the other. Jack's brother stood up immediately, contemplating ways to escape. "Don't," Liz said.

The gun was down by her side. "You're not going to get out until Jack gives the okay."

"Jack…" Gray muttered distastefully.

"Who's that?" Steven whispered.

"You're great-uncle," Liz explained.

"He's not like granddad is he?"

"Nope." The girl let out a sigh.

"So which one are you?" Gray demanded. "The Japanese woman or the man? Who'd _you_ fill in for and how did Jack come across a kid like you?"

"I'm the medic," Liz replied, never once letting go of Steven's hand. "And Jack didn't hire me. You were frozen. You wouldn't have known."

"Known what?"

"The Hub was blown up. Two years ago. Not by you, because you're wondering. It was an alien attack. They wanted the children. I suppose you've heard of them though. We call them the 456."

Gray knew exactly which species the medic was talking about. "And Jack left."

"That's really like him," the younger brother snorted. He started to pace in his cell.

"He'd lost everything to the attack. I came in a little later. Gwen hired me. She never told me much about what had happened before. Just snippets. Lois told me most of it and I pieced two and two together.

"Jack blamed himself after Tosh and Owen died. Then Ianto was killed by a virus when the 456 came. He sacrificed his grandson, _your_ grand-nephew, to save the world. Of course, you've been locked up and away from civilization so long that you don't know what I'm talking about and frankly you don't care."

"You're wasting your time telling me this," Gray fumbled impatiently. Being frozen so long made you stiff.

Liz acknowledged the fact and clutched Steven's hand even tighter, as if that was going to keep him safe. Slowly, she reached for Gray's temple. She had the insane urge to push all the information into his head at once but knew Jack would disapprove.

Jack's younger brother held his breath until Liz finally pulled away. "The world is ending," she said, before Gray could utter another word. "Right here, right now. And we have to fix it, or they'll be no you or Jack or this timeline for that matter. The universe becomes a paradox. We're not asking you to join us. We're not asking you to do something to save the world. Just stay out of the way and try not to kill anyone."

Gray nodded, dumbfounded.

"Jack trusts you enough to let you out. The question is, can the rest of us trust you?"

"Probably not," Gray scoffed.

"Then earn it," Liz replied and left the man unlocked in the vaults.

Gray called after her. "What happens when this all ends?"

Liz turned around to face him. "I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe time reverses. The world falls back into place. Maybe you'll end up in the cryo again. It's up to Jack to decide now." She glanced at Steven. "Come on the Steven. Go cheer up your grandpa Jack."

* * *

**Short chapter. Donna and Co. appearance next chapter. Rose and Co. in two.**


	30. Author's Note, Please Read Thanks

Currently on an indefinite hiatus; sorry everyone!

However, this is one of the fics that I will rewrite (damn mary sue :D) and repost -bigger and better!

I just kind of hit a ditch in road, but I'm working on other fics as of right now as well.

If you follow my work and enjoy teasers of upcoming fics then please follow me on my twitter account **morning-eve**.

I've changed the name :D

Thank you!


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